Middle-term mortality and re-bleeding after initial diverticular bleeding: A nationwide study of 365 mostly elderly French patients

Development of risk scores for early and late recurrence of colonic diverticular hemorrhage

OBJECTIVES

Colonic diverticular hemorrhage (CDH) often recurs. Although several studies have suggested that early rebleeding (ER) and late rebleeding (LR) should be treated independently, and several ER/LR risk factors have been identified, an integrated system for risk evaluation is still lacking. This study aimed to develop risk scores for early and late rebleeding of CDH.

METHODS

This two-center, retrospective cohort study included 218 patients between 2008 and 2021. ER and LR risk factors were identified using multivariate analysis, and risk scores were developed using the odds ratios of each risk factor.

RESULTS

The ER and LR rates were 32.6 and 25.7%, respectively. High heart rate on admission, early endoscopy from the visit, no bowel preparation and no endoscopic treatment were identified as risk factors for ER. On the other hand, LR risk factors included a history of hypertension and diabetes, early endoscopy from the visit, and the use of endoscopic clips. The ER risk score [area under the curve (AUC) = 0.71] was highly sensitive (90.3%) at a cutoff point of 6 and highly specific (98.0%) at a cutoff point of 15. The LR risk score (AUC = 0.70) was highly sensitive (91.1%) at a cutoff point of 2.6 and highly specific (88.3%) at a cutoff point of 7.1.

CONCLUSIONS

The ER and LR risk scores were established for the first time, and they can divide CDH patients based on their risk of rebleeding as well as provide clinicians with practical information about the CDH management.

German guideline diverticular disease/diverticulitis: Part I: Methods, pathogenesis, epidemiology, clinical characteristics (definitions), natural course, diagnosis and classification

Diverticulosis and diverticular disease are ranked among the most common gastroenterological diseases and conditions. While for many years diverticulitis was found to be mainly an event occurring in the elder population, more recent work in epidemiology demonstrates increasing frequency in younger subjects. In addition, there is a noticeable trend towards more complicated disease. This may explain the significant increase in hospitalisations observed in recent years. It is not a surprise that the number of scientific studies addressing the clinical and socioeconomic consequences in the field is increasing. As a result, diagnosis and conservative as well as surgical management have changed in recent years. Diverticulosis, diverticular disease and diverticulitis are a complex entity and apparently an interdisciplinary challenge. To meet theses considerations the German Societies for Gastroenterology and Visceral Surgery decided to create joint guidelines addressing all aspects in a truely interdisciplinary fashion. The aim of the guideline is to summarise and to evaluate the current state of knowledge on diverticulosis and diverticular disease and to develop statements as well as recommendations to all physicians involved in the management of patients with diverticular disease.

Construction of a Model for Predicting the Severity of Diverticular Bleeding in an Elderly Population

Objective To identify the risk factors for severe diverticular bleeding in an elderly population. Methods Using a comprehensive computerized hospital database, severe and non-severe diverticular bleeding cases were compared for 19 factors: the age, sex, body mass index, comorbid conditions (hypertension, cardiovascular disease, cerebrovascular disease, and chronic renal failure, including those undergoing dialysis), history of diverticular bleeding, use of low-dose aspirin, use of antiplatelet agent besides aspirin, use of anticoagulant agent, use of prednisolone, use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, use of cyclooxygenase-2 selective inhibitors, changes in vital signs, hypoalbuminemia, bilateral diverticula, identification of bleeding lesion, and rebleeding. Severe bleeding was defined as the need for blood transfusion, emergency surgery, or vascular embolization. Patients A total of 258 patients were admitted for lower gastrointestinal bleeding between August 2010 and July 2020, among whom 120 patients over 65 years old diagnosed with diverticular bleeding were included in this study. Results Fifty-one patients (43%) had severe diverticular bleeding. Independent risk factors for severe diverticular bleeding were as follows: change in vital signs [odds ratio (OR), 5.23; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.9-14.4; p=0.0014], hypoalbuminemia (OR, 12.3; 95% CI, 1.97-77.3; p=0.0073), bilateral diverticula (OR, 3.47; 95% CI, 1.33-9.02; p=0.011), and rebleeding (OR, 5.92; 95% CI, 2.21-15.8; p<0.001). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.79 after cross validation. Conclusion Severe diverticular bleeding in elderly population may be predicted by changes in their vital signs, hypoalbuminemia, bilateral diverticula, and rebleeding.

Treatment strategies for reducing early and late recurrence of colonic diverticular bleeding based on stigmata of recent hemorrhage: a large multicenter study

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Treatment strategies for colonic diverticular bleeding (CDB) based on stigmata of recent hemorrhage (SRH) remain unstandardized, and no large studies have evaluated their effectiveness. We sought to identify the best strategy among combinations of SRH identification and endoscopic treatment strategies.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed 5823 CDB patients who underwent colonoscopy at 49 hospitals throughout Japan (CODE-BLUE J-Study). Three strategies were compared: find SRH (definitive CDB) and treat endoscopically, find SRH (definitive CDB) and treat conservatively, and without finding SRH (presumptive CDB) treat conservatively. In conducting pairwise comparisons of outcomes in these groups, we used propensity score-matching analysis to balance baseline characteristics between the groups being compared.

RESULTS

Both early and late recurrent bleeding rates were significantly lower in patients with definitive CDB treated endoscopically than in those with presumptive CDB treated conservatively (<30 days, 19.6% vs 26.0% [P < .001]; <365 days, 33.7% vs 41.6% [P < .001], respectively). In patients with definitive CDB, the early recurrent bleeding rate was significantly lower in those treated endoscopically than in those treated conservatively (17.4% vs 26.7% [P = .038] for a single test of hypothesis; however, correction for multiple testing of data removed this significance). The late recurrent bleeding rate was also lower, but not significantly, in those treated endoscopically (32.0% vs 36.1%, P = .426). Definitive CDB treated endoscopically showed significantly lower early and late recurrent bleeding rates than when treated conservatively in cases of SRH with active bleeding, nonactive bleeding, and in the right-sided colon but not left-sided colon.

CONCLUSIONS

Treating definitive CDB endoscopically was most effective in reducing recurrent bleeding over the short and long term, compared with not treating definitive CDB or presumptive CDB. Physicians should endeavor to find and treat SRH for suspected CDB.

[Lower Gastrointestinal Bleeding: Current State of Diagnosis and Treatment and Interpretation of the Clinical Guidelines]

Lower gastrointestinal bleeding (LGIB) is a common clinical emergency. However, most of the published findings on LGIB were of retrospective or observational studies, and the relevant clinical guidelines and consensuses were not published until quite recently. In clinical practice, LGIB treatment is not as standardized as the treatment of upper gastrointestinal bleeding. Herein, on the basis of the latest clinical research findings on and guidelines for LGIB, we summarized and analyzed the existent diagnosis and treatment of LGIB from the perspectives of patient assessment and endoscopic, interventional and medication treatment, intending to provide more references to support the clinical practice.

Causes of gastrointestinal bleeding in oral anticoagulant users compared to non-users in a population-based study

BACKGROUND/AIMS

Causes of gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) in patients on oral anticoagulants (OACs) are not well established. The aims of the study were to compare the causes of GIB in patients on OACs and those not on OAC therapy.

METHODS

A nationwide study of all GIB events in patients on OACs in Iceland from 2014-2019 was conducted. Bleeding events were obtained through ICD-10 codes and review of endoscopy databases, confirmed by review of medical records. For comparison, patients not on OACs from previous Icelandic population-based studies were used.

RESULTS

Among 752 GIB events in 12,005 patients on OACs, 273 (1.9%) had verified upper and 391 (2.7%) had verified lower GIB. For lower GIB, multivariate analysis showed that OAC users were more likely to have colonic polyps (OR 6.6, 95% CI: 2.4 - 17.8, p < .001) or colorectal cancer (OR 3.7, 95% CI: 2.0 - 7.0, p < .001) but less likely to have ischemic colitis (OR 0.11, 95% CI: 0.04 - 0.26, p < .001). For upper GIB, bleeding from mucosal erosions (OR 4.0 95% CI: 2.5 - 7.9, p < .001) and angiodysplasia (OR 3.6, 95%CI: 1.5 - 8.6, p = .003) were more common in OAC users.

CONCLUSIONS

A high proportion of GIB caused by colonic polyps and colorectal cancer among OAC patients indicates that OACs treatment may facilitate cancer diagnosis. The low proportion of ischemic colitis among those on OACs suggests that OACs provide a protective effect against ischemic colitis. OACs seem to increase the bleeding from angiodysplasia and mucosal erosive disease.

Risk Factors Associated with Colorectal Cancer in Octogenarians Can Help Stratify the Need for Colonoscopy

Objective Colonoscopy is increasingly performed in octogenarians for the detection of colorectal cancer (CRC), but its benefits may be outweighed by its risks. The aim of the present study was to identify the risk factors for CRC in octogenarians presenting for colonoscopy to help stratify the need for this procedure.

Methods A retrospective analysis of 434 patients aged ≥ 80 years referred for a colonoscopy between January 2018 and December 2019. Comparisons were made between those with and without CRC and advanced adenoma (AA). The primary endpoint was to identify the clinical variables predictive of CRC and AA, and the secondary endpoints were complications and death 30 days after the procedure.

Results Colonoscopy was performed in 434 octogenarians, predominantly for symptoms, with CRC in 65 (15.0%) patients. Iron deficiency was associated with a higher risk of having CRC identified on colonoscopy (odds ratio [OR]: 2.33; 95% confidence interval [95%CI] =  1.36–4.00), but not symptoms such as bleeding, weight loss, or diarrhea. A colonoscopy in the last 10 years was protective, with a lower risk of CRC (OR: 0.45; 95%CI = 0.22–0.93). Patients with both normal iron stores and a colonoscopy within 10 years had a 92.5% chance of not having CRC. No variables were predictive of AA. Patients with complications, including death, were older and more likely to have underlying cardiorespiratory disease.

Conclusion Iron status and colonoscopy within 10 years can be used to predict the risk of CRC in octogenarians. Those with low predicted risk, especially if older and with cardiorespiratory disease, should be considered for non-invasive tests, such as computed tomography (CT) colonography, over colonoscopy.

Effect of tranexamic acid in patients with colonic diverticular bleeding: A nationwide inpatient database study

BACKGROUND AND AIM

The effect of tranexamic acid (TXA) remains unknown in patients with colonic diverticular bleeding, which is one of the most common causes of lower gastrointestinal bleeding. We investigated the efficacy of TXA for patients with colonic diverticular bleeding.

METHODS

We performed a nationwide observational study using the Japanese Diagnosis Procedure Combination database and identified patients who were admitted for diverticular bleeding from 2010 to 2018. Patients who received TXA on the day of admission comprised the TXA group, and the remaining patients comprised the control group. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. Secondary outcomes included severe bleeding, blood transfusion within 7 days of admission, length of stay, and hospitalization costs. Propensity score matching was performed to compare outcomes between the two groups.

RESULTS

Overall, 78 291 patients met our eligibility criteria, and 30 526 matched pairs were created by one-to-one propensity score matching. After matching, there was no significant difference in in-hospital mortality between the two groups (odds ratio [OR], 1.07; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.88-1.30); however, TXA administration was associated with significantly lower proportions of severe bleeding events (OR, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.89-0.99), blood transfusions (OR, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.84-0.92), shorter length of stay (difference, -0.23 days; 95% CI, -0.01 to -0.44 days), and lower total hospitalization costs (difference, -$233; 95% CI, -$153 to -$314).

CONCLUSIONS

Although TXA was not significantly associated with lower in-hospital mortality, it may reduce severe bleeding, blood transfusions, length of stay, and hospitalization costs.

[Endoscopy, angiography, surgery: diagnostic and therapeutic algorithms for diverticular bleeding]

Diverticular bleeding is a complication of diverticular disease but in contrast to diverticulitis, publications concerning diverticular bleeding are less common. Diverticular bleeding is the cause of approximately 20-50% of cases of lower gastrointestinal bleeding and in rare cases can be life-threatening. The main symptom of diverticular hemorrhage is painless hematochezia and the German guidelines recommend that further diagnostics of suspected diverticular bleeding should be performed in hospital. Interdisciplinary diagnostic and therapeutic algorithms recommend primary endoscopy in acute as well as chronic recurrent diverticular bleeding. If endoscopy fails to provide an exact localization of the origin of bleeding, angiography or computed tomography (CT) angiography can be performed. The ^99mTc erythrocyte scintigraphy should only be performed if endoscopy and angiography are unable to identify the localization of the bleeding source. More than 90% of diverticular hemorrhages stop spontaneously; however, it is general agreed that an active diverticular bleeding detected during colonoscopy should be immediately treated endoscopically. Alternative radiological techniques for hemostasis are rarely needed and attention must be paid to the complications. In the rare case of severe bleeding that cannot otherwise be stopped or if the bleeding vessel cannot be located, laparotomy and total colectomy can be recommended. If the diverticular bleeding has definitely been identified or recurrent bleeding causes chronic anemia, segmental or total colectomy may be undertaken; however, the advantages and disadvantages of both types of surgery have to be thoroughly explained to the patient.