EFFECT OF PUSH ENTEROSCOPY ON TRANSFUSION REQUIREMENTS AND QUALITY-OF-LIFE IN PATIENTS WITH UNEXPLAINED GASTROINTESTINAL-BLEEDING

Aim: The aim of our study was to determine whether push enteroscopy al tered transfusion requirements or quality of life in patients with une xplained gastrointestinal bleeding, Methods: Twenty-nine patients with gastrointestinal bleeding unexplained by upper endoscopy and colonosc opy or persistent despite appropriate therapy after these procedures, underwent enteroscopy, Transfusion records in the year preceding and a fter the procedure were obtained from blood bank records and from tele phone interviews every 6 months, Results: Of 29 patients, 20 had recei ved a transfusion (mean 8 +/- 3 units per patient) in the year precedi ng enteroscopy, In the year after the enteroscopy, 11 patients require d transfusions (p = 0.034), and the mean transfusion requirement fell to 4 +/- 2 units, (p = 0.007), Angiodysplasia, the most frequent lesio n found at enteroscopy (13 patients, 45%) were treated by endoscopic c autery, These patients had received an average of 13 +/- 6 units of pa cked cells per patient in the year preceding the procedure, In the yea r after enteroscopy, there was a significant reduction in transfusions (6 +/- 3 units per patient; p = 0.021), Of the 13 patients, 4 (31%) n o longer required transfusions, Median functional status improved from 60 to 90 (p = 0.005), Conclusions: Enteroscopy alters the outcome of some patients with obscure gastrointestinal bleeding by reducing or el iminating bleeding and improving functional status.