OBJECTIVE: To analyze the predictors of operative treatment in patients sustaining bleeding peptic ulcers. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of the patients admitted owing to bleeding peptic ulcers from 1998 to 2001. Vital signs upon admission, associated diseases, endoscopy data, evolution and definitive care were evaluated. Patients who underwent surgery were compared with the others in order to identify the predictors of the operative treatment. Student's t and chi squared test were employed for statistical analysis, considering p< 0,05 as significant. RESULTS: Two hundred patients were included in the study group. The age ranged between 17 and 97 years (mean 52 + 18), and 153 patients (76.5%) were male. Shock upon admission was present in 27 (13.5%). The endoscopic exam performed at admission showed that 101 patients sustained ulcers in the duodenum and 99 in the stomach, which were classified as Forrest Ia in 5 (2.5%), Ib in 20 (10%), IIa in 48 (24%) and IIb in 48 (24%). Twenty five (12.5%) patients needed operation, and 23 (92%) were submitted to gastrectomy with Billroth's II reconstruction. The operative treatment were more frequently performed in patients sustaining chronic alcoholic intake (p=0.002), cigarette smoking (p=0.02), diabetes mellitus (p=0.01), chronic peptic disease (p=0.05), shock upon admission (p<0.001) and spurting activity at the endoscopy (p<0.001). Forrest IIb lesions which did not receive any form of endoscopic treatment at admission were more likely to rebleed (p=0.012). CONCLUSIONS: The predictors of operative treatment were chronic alcoholic intake, smoke addiction, diabetes mellitus, chronic peptic disease, shock upon admission and Forrest Ia ulcers.
Peptic ulcer; Peptic ulcer hemorrhage; Peptic ulcer hemorrhage
