Outcome of patients with upper gastrointestinal bleeding during the covid-19 pandemic

ABSTRACT

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has created challenges in upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) management due to concerns regarding aerosolization during endoscopy and patient hesitancy in presenting to hospital. The impact of the pandemic on UGIB outcomes is not well described. Methods: We described adults with UGIB admitted to general medicine services or intensive care units (ICU) during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic (March 1-June 30 2020) at 7 hospitals in Toronto and Mississauga, Ontario. The historical control group consisted of patients admitted to these hospitals from March 1-June 30, 2018 and March 1-June 30, 2019. We compared primary (inhospital mortality) and secondary outcomes (ICU utilization, transfusion requirements, persistent bleeding, and need for angiographic/surgical management of bleeding) using multivariable regression models, controlling for patient demographic factors, comorbidities, severity and etiology of bleeding, and admitting hospital. Results: There were 363 admissions for UGIB from March 1-June 30, 2020 (COVID-19 period) and 950 admissions from March 1-June 30 2018 and 2019 (historical control period). There were no differences between the two groups with respect to baseline variables of age, sex, underlying cirrhosis, Charlson comorbidity index, and the modified Glasgow-Blatchford and pre-endoscopy Rockall mortality risk scores (Table 1). Patients in the COVID-19 time period were less likely to undergo endoscopy (64% vs. 71%, p=0.015). There were no differences between the two groups for the primary outcome of in-hospital mortality or any secondary outcomes (Table 1). On multivariable analysis, patients admitted with UGIB during the COVID-19 time period did not have greater inhospital mortality (odds ratio [OR]50.72, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.30-1.57), or any differences in ICU utilization, number of red blood cell units transfused, persistent bleeding, and angiographic/ surgical management. Conclusion: Although fewer patients admitted to hospital with UGIB during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic received endoscopy, there was no difference in clinical outcomes.