The Clinical Features of Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding after Acute Burn Injury

Kim, Geun Sook; Jang, Hyun Joo; Eun, Chang Soo; Kae, Sea Hyub; Park, Woo Jung; Chun, Wook; Kim, Jong Hyun; Lee, Jin

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Upper gastrointestinal (UGI) bleeding is one of the most common and serious complications in major burns. However, the clinical features of UGI bleeding have rarely been studied, and no report of UGI bleeding after burn injury has been presented in Korea. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical features of the UGI bleeding after acute burn injury.
METHODS
Among 2,340 patieats with acute burn injury who have admitted from January 2000 to June 2004, 33 patients had UGI bleeding. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of these 33 patients.
RESULTS
The causes of bleeding were gastric ulcer (45.5%), duodenal ulcer (36.4%), esophageal ulcer (6%), Mallory-Weiss tear (6%), hemorrhagic gastritis (3%), and gastric varix (3%). Endoscopic intervention and medical treatment were taken in 13 patients (39.4%), and 20 patients (60.6%) were managed with medical treatment only. Mortality rate of post-burn UGI bleeding patients was 30.3%. In logistic regression analysis, burn size (p=0.047) and Rockall score (p=0.019) were independent risk factors of mortality in patients with UGI bleeding.
CONCLUSIONS
The most common cause of UGI bleeding in burn patients is peptic ulcer. Treatment of systemic complications of burn as well as UGI bleeding itself may be important in clinical course of UGI bleeding after burn. Large, randomized, and prospective study of prophylactic proton pump inhibitor for the prevention of post-burn UGI bleeding is needed.