ABSTRACT
Background: We aimed to determine the effects of anti-platelet drugs use on adverse outcomes in patients with non-variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding [UGIB]
Materials and Methods: A historical cohort study was performed on patients with non-variceal UGIB admitted to a tertiary care hospital. Clinical outcomes were compared among users of aspirin and patients who did not receive aspirin. Adverse outcome variables consisted of re-bleeding, need for surgery, and death
Results: Out of 271 patients [77.5% men, mean age 59.5+/-19.0 years] with non-variceal UGIB, 157 [57.9%] did not receive any anti-platelet drugs, 87 [32.1%] received only aspirin, and 27 [10.0%] received dual anti-platelet therapy. The frequency of adverse outcomes was significantly higher in patients who bled while not receiving anti-platelets [31.2% no anti-platelets, 12.6% single anti-platelet agent, and 14.8% on dual anti-platelets, p=0.002]. A significant difference in the duration of admission was not found between the three groups [5.5+/-4.3 in patients with no anti-platelet drugs, 5.6+/-4.6 in patients received single anti-platelet agent, and 5.0+/-4.3 in patients received dual anti-platelets, p =0.84]
Conclusion: Patients with non-variceal UGIB while taking anti-platelet drugs had a lower rate of adverse outcomes compared with non-users of anti-platelets