ITL: Physician Reviews of HM-Relevant Research
Clinical question: Is it safe to perform esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) in patients with upper gastrointestinal (GI) hemorrhage and low hematocrit?
Background: Patients admitted with GI hemorrhage are generally volume-resuscitated aggressively upon admission. After hemodynamic stability has been achieved, some would advocate delaying EGD until the hemoglobin and hematocrit are above 10 g/dL and 30%, respectively. This study attempted to determine whether EGD is safe in the setting of low hematocrit levels.
Study design: Prospective cohort.
Setting: Parkland Memorial Hospital, Dallas.
Synopsis: The 920 patients with upper GI bleeding were divided into two groups: a low (<30%) hematocrit group and a high (>30%) hematocrit group. They were analyzed for differences in rates of cardiovascular events, requirement for surgery, angiography, mortality, or ICU transfer. Overall event rates were extremely low, with no differences between the two groups.
Bottom line: Transfusing to a target hematocrit of >30% should not be a prerequisite for EGD in patients who present with upper GI bleeding.
Citation: Balderas V, Bhore R, Lara LF, Spesivtseva J, Rockey DC. The hematocrit level in upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage: safety of endoscopy and outcomes. Am J Med. 2011;124:970-976.