Predictors of variceal bleed among patients with liver cirrhosis in the era of sclerotherapy.

INTRODUCTION: Variceal bleed is a common complication of portal hypertension. The bleed pattern has changed considerably with the introduction of variceal band ligation. The bleed pattern in developing countries where sclerotherapy continues to remain a viable option is not known. The aim of the study was to determine the predictors of first and subsequent bleed in individuals with liver cirrhosis. METHODS: 205 subjects with liver cirrhosis and portal hypertension registered in the liver clinic between January and June 2004, were followed-up for 18 months after registration. Bleeders already on pharmacotherapy or endotherapy were excluded. Patient details included age, gender, duration of illness, aetiology, Child-Pugh-Turcotte score and grades of oesophageal varices, details of index and subsequent variceal bleed, and complications during follow-up. Logistic regression multivariate analysis was applied to predict the factors influencing variceal bleed. RESULTS: There were 95 variceal bleeders and 110 non-bleeders. Age at presentation and gender did not predict a variceal bleed. Grades III and IV oesophageal varices and fundal varices were the significant risk factors for an index bleed (p-value is 0.001). 27 of the 95 bleeders (28.3 percent) had a second bleed after a mean interval of 8 (+/- 7.7) months. Predictors of rebleed were similar to the index bleed. Predictors of index bleed were also similar to those who had bled for the first time after registration. Overall bleed-related mortality was low (2.1 percent). CONCLUSION: Higher grades of varices, presence of cherry-red spots and fundal varices predicted variceal bleed in patients with liver cirrhosis. Variceal bleed-related mortality was low in the era of sclerotherapy.

The prevalence and determinants of health care-seeking behavior for fecal incontinence in multiparous United Arab Emirates females.

PURPOSE: This study was designed to determine the prevalence and sociodemographics of fecal incontinence in United Arab Emirates females. METHODS: A representative sample of multiparous United Arab Emirates females aged 20 years or older (N = 450) were randomly selected from the community (n = 225) and health care centers (n = 225). Patients were interviewed about inappropriate stool loss in the past year using a structured and pretested questionnaire. RESULTS: Fifty-one participants (11.3 percent) admitted fecal incontinence; 26 (5.8 percent) were incontinent to liquid stool and 25 (5.5 percent) to solid stool. Thirty-eight patients (8.4 percent) had double (urinary and fecal) incontinence. Sixty-five patients (14.4 percent) were incontinent to flatus only but not to stools. The association between having fecal incontinence and chronic constipation was significant (P < 0.0001), but there was no significant association with other known risk factors such as age, parity, and previous instrumental delivery, episiotomy, perineal tears, or anorectal operations. Only 21 incontinent patients (41 percent) had sought medical advice. Patients did not seek medical advice because they were embarrassed to consult their physician (64.7 percent), they preferred to discuss the difficulty with friends, assuming that fecal incontinence would resolve spontaneously (47.1 percent) or was normal (31.3 percent), and they chose self-treatment as a result of low expectations for medical care (23.5 percent). Sufferers were bothered by the inability to pray (92.2 percent) and to have sexual intercourse (43.1 percent). Perceived causes of fecal incontinence were paralysis (90.2 percent), old age (80.4 percent), childbirth (23.5 percent), or menopause (19.6 percent). CONCLUSIONS: Fecal incontinence is common yet underreported by multiparous United Arab Emirates females because of cultural attitudes and inadequate public knowledge.