An Etiological Study of Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding

Background: To determine the causes of uppergastrointestinal bleed in patients undergoing endoscopyMethods: In this prospective descriptive study 147naive patients, with first episode of upper gastrointestinalbleeding, who underderwent endoscopic examinationwithin 24 hours of their admission were included.Results:Mean age was 52.8 years. Majority ( 64.5%) weremale. 30.6% patients had either a single or multipleduodenal or gastric ulcers. Thirty one (21%)patients hadbleeding lower esophageal varices (LEV) or gastricvarices. Another 3.4% patients had bleeding peptic ulcer inpresence of non bleeding LEV . Duodenitis, gastricerosions and erosive gastritis were found in 18.4% . In12.2% patients no cause of upper GI bleed was found.Conclusion: Peptic ulcer was found to be thecommonest cause of upper GI bleed(34%). Gastroesophageal varices (21.1%) was the second commonestcause. Duodenitis, gastric erosions and erosive gastritiswere among the less common causes(18.4%)