PROGNOSTIC VALUE OF ENDOSCOPIC SIGNS IN T HE BREEDING RELAPSE FROM PEPTIC-ULCER

The endoscopic signs of hemorrhage in bleeding peptic ulcers are consi dered as prognostic factors for rebleeding and mortality. The value of these signs has been examined in several studies of patients with kno wn high risk factors. In this survey, we studied the prognostic value of the endoscopic signs of hemorrhage in bleeding peptic ulcer in a gr oup of patients without clinical risk factors such as age > 60 years, concomitant malignancy or respiratory and heart disease. Endoscopic fi ndings were examined in fifty patients without rebleeding (group I) an d twenty five with reebleding (group II). Endoscopic findings results were spurting arterial bleeding in 9.3% of the cases, oozing hemorrhag e in 17.3% of the cases, visible vessel in 9.3% of the cases, and adhe rent clot in 82.3% of the cases. In 9.3% of the cases endoscopic findi ngs were negative. No statistical differences were found in the endosc opic signs among the two groups. The visible vessel and the spurting a rterial bleeding cases presented in more than 50% of the rebleeding, ( visible vessel and spurting arterial 57.1%). Oozing hemorrhage and the adherent clot were present in 30% of the cases. The endoscopic signs of bleeding can assist in choosing the group of patients with prospect ive high risk of rebleeding and possible candidates for the new treatm ent of endoscopic hemostatic therapy.