Weekend effect in upper gastrointestinal bleeding: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Assessment, Resuscitation and Medical Management of Variceal and Nonvariceal Gastrointestinal Bleeding

Upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) continues to be an important cause for emergency room visits and carries significant morbidity and mortality. Early resuscitative measures form the basis of the management of patients presenting with UGIB and can improve the outcomes of such patients including lowering mortality. In this review, using an evidence-based approach, we discuss the initial assessment and resuscitation of patients presenting with UGIB including identifying clues from history and physical examination to confirm UGIB, preendoscopic risk assessment tools, the role of early fluid resuscitation, utilization of blood products, use of pharmacologic interventions, and the optimal timing of endoscopy.

Weekend admissions and outcomes in patients with pneumonia: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

To document pooled evidence on the association between weekend hospital admissions and the potential risks of mortality, intensive care requirements, and readmission among patients with pneumonia.

Methods

We performed a systematic search across the PubMed, EMBASE, and Scopus databases. We collected observational studies exploring the association between weekend admissions and outcomes of interest in patients with pneumonia. To analyze the data, we used a random effects model and expressed the effect sizes as pooled odds ratios (ORs) accompanied by their respective 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

Results

The analysis comprised data from 13 retrospective studies. Compared to patients admitted on weekdays, those admitted during the weekend had a non-statistically significant marginally higher risk of in-hospital mortality (OR, 1.02; 95% CI, 1.00, 1.04) but similar 30-day mortality after admission (OR, 1.03; 95% CI, 0.97, 1.10), and similar risks of admission to intensive care unit (OR, 1.04; 95% CI, 0.98, 1.11) and re-admission (OR, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.65-1.12).

Conclusion

Our findings do not support the presence of a "weekend effect" in patients with pneumonia.

Systematic review registration

PROSPERO, identifier CRD42023425802, https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/.

The Reduction of After-Hours and Weekend Effects in Upper Gastro-intestinal Bleeding Mortality During the COVID-19 Pandemic Compared to the Pre-Pandemic Period

Background

In upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB), admissions after normal working hours and during weekends may be associated with increased mortality.

Aim

To assess the evolution of the after-hours and weekend effects during the COVID-19 pandemic as a result of progressive improved management despite management challenges during the pandemic.

Methods

We performed an observational study of patients admitted for UGIB at a tertiary academic center between March 2020 and December 2021, compared to the corresponding timeframe before the pandemic. Admissions were assessed based on regular hours versus after-hours and weekdays versus weekends. We stratified patients based on demographic data, etiology, prognostic scores, the time between symptom onset and admission, as and between admission and endoscopy. The outcomes included mortality, rebleeding rate, the requirement for surgery and transfusion, and hospitalization days.

Results

802 cases were recorded during the pandemic, and 1006 cases before the pandemic. The overall mortality rate was 12.33%. Patients admitted after hours and during weekends had a higher mortality rate compared to those admitted during regular hours and weekdays (15.18% versus 10.22%, and 15.25% versus 11.16%), especially in cases of non-variceal bleeding. However, the difference in mortality rates was reduced by 2/3 during the pandemic, despite the challenges posed by COVID-19 infection. This suggests that there was an equalization effect of care in UGIB, regardless of the admission time. The differences observed in mortality rates for after-hours and weekend admissions seem to be primarily related to a higher proportion of patients who did not undergo endoscopy, while the proportion of severe cases remained similar. Blood requirements, hospital days, and rebleeding rate were similar between the two groups.

Conclusion

Admissions during weekends and after-hours have been associated with increased mortality, particularly in cases of non-variceal bleeding. However, the impact of this association was significantly reduced during the pandemic.

Does off-hours endoscopic hemostasis affect outcomes of nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding?

Aim: Different researches showed controversial results about the 'off-hours effect' in nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding (NVUGIB). Materials & methods: A total of 301 patients with NVUGIB were divided into regular-hours group and off-hours group based on when they received endoscopic hemostasis, and the relationship of the clinical outcomes with off-hours endoscopic hemostasis was evaluated. Results: Patients who received off-hours endoscopy were sicker and more likely to experience worse clinical outcomes. Off-hours endoscopic hemostasis was a significant predictor of the composite outcome in higher-risk patients (adjusted OR: 4.63; 95% CI: 1.35-15.90). However, it did not associate with the outcomes in lower-risk patients. Conclusion: Off-hours effect may affect outcomes of higher-risk NVUGIB patients receiving endoscopic hemostasis (GBS ≥12).

The Weekend Effect in Septic Shock Patients Using the Nationwide Emergency Department Sample Database

BACKGROUND

The weekend effect is the increased mortality in hospitalized patients admitted on the weekend. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of weekend admissions on septic shock patients.

METHODS

This is a retrospective observational study of the 2014 Nationwide Emergency Department Sample Database. Septic shock patients were included in this study using ICD-9-CM codes. Descriptive analysis was done, in addition to bivariate analysis to compare variables based on admission day. Multivariate analysis was conducted to examine the association between admission day and mortality in septic shock patients after adjusting for potential confounding factors.

RESULTS

A total of 364,604 septic shock patients were included in this study. The average age was 67.19 years, and 51.1% were males. 73.0% of patients presented on weekdays. 32.3% of septic shock patients died during their hospital stay. After adjusting for confounders, there was no significant difference in the emergency department or in-hospital mortality of septic shock patients admitted on the weekend compared with those admitted during weekdays, (OR = 1.00 [95% CI: 0.97-1.03], P value = 0.985).

CONCLUSION

There was no statistically significant difference in overall mortality between septic shock patients admitted on the weekend or weekday. Our results are contradictory to previous studies showing an increased mortality with the weekend effect. The previous observations that have been made may not stand up with current treatment protocols.

Weekend admissions with ascites are associated with delayed paracentesis: A nationwide analysis of the 'weekend effect'

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES

Weekend admissions has previously been associated with worse outcomes in conditions requiring specialists. Our study aimed to determine in-hospital outcomes in patients with ascites admitted over the weekends versus weekdays. Time to paracentesis from admission was studied as current guidelines recommend paracentesis within 24h for all patients admitted with worsening ascites or signs and symptoms of sepsis/hepatic encephalopathy (HE).

PATIENTS

We analyzed 70 million discharges from the 2005-2014 National Inpatient Sample to include all adult patients admitted non-electively for ascites, spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP), and HE with ascites with cirrhosis as a secondary diagnosis. The outcomes were in-hospital mortality, complication rates, and resource utilization. Odds ratios (OR) and means were adjusted for confounders using multivariate regression analysis models.

RESULTS

Out of the total 195,083 ascites/SBP/HE-related hospitalizations, 47,383 (24.2%) occurred on weekends. Weekend group had a higher number of patients on Medicare and had higher comorbidity burden. There was no difference in mortality rate, total complication rates, length of stay or total hospitalization charges between the patients admitted on the weekend or weekdays. However, patients admitted over the weekends were less likely to undergo paracentesis (OR 0.89) and paracentesis within 24h of admission (OR 0.71). The mean time to paracentesis was 2.96 days for weekend admissions vs. 2.73 days for weekday admissions.

CONCLUSIONS

We observed a statistically significant "weekend effect" in the duration to undergo paracentesis in patients with ascites/SBP/HE-related hospitalizations. However, it did not affect the patient's length of stay, hospitalization charges, and in-hospital mortality.

Development and validation of prognostic model to predict mortality among cirrhotic patients with acute variceal bleeding: A retrospective study

Background and Aim

Acute variceal bleeding (AVB) is a serious complication associated with high mortality. The aim of our study was to investigate mortality predictors and to develop a new simplified prognostic model among cirrhotic patients with AVB.

Methods

A simplified prognostic model was developed using multiple logistic regression after identifying significant predictors of 6‐week mortality.

Results

A total of 713 consecutive patients with AVB were enrolled. The 6‐week overall mortality rate was 18%. Multivariate analysis showed that shock, model for end‐stage liver disease (MELD) score, high‐risk stigmata of esophageal varices on endoscopic finding, and Glasgow Blatchford score were independent predictors of mortality. A new logistic model using these variables was developed. This model (cutoff value ≥ 4) area under the receiver operating characteristics (AUROC) was 0.93 and significantly higher than that of MELD score alone (0.74). Two validation analyses showed that the AUROC of our model was consistently high. The 6‐week rebleeding rate was 25.3%. Multivariate analysis showed that MELD score, Glasgow Blatchford score, history of upper GI bleeding, shock, and alcohol use were independent predictors of rebleeding.

Conclusion

Our new simplified model accurately and consistently predicted 6‐week mortality among patients with AVB using objective variables measured at admission. Patients with higher MELD scores should be closely monitored due to the higher probability of 6‐week rebleeding.

The effect of pantoprazole and somatostatin combined with thrombin in the treatment of non-esophagogastric varicosity upper gastrointestinal bleeding

OBJECTIVE

To explore the effect of pantoprazole and somatostatin combined with thrombin in the treatment of non-esophagogastric varicosity upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGB) as well as its influence on serum hs-CRP and coagulation function.

METHODS

From June 2016 to May 2018, patients with upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage due to non-esophagogastric varices in our hospital were selected as research subjects. After screening, they were randomly divided into the combined group (57 cases) and the control group (57 cases). After the two groups are treated, the therapeutic effect was observed. The two groups of patients were followed up for 6 consecutive months, and the data were statistically analyzed.

RESULTS

It was found that there wass no significant difference between the two groups in gender, age, amount of bleeding, and etiology (P > 0.05). It was found that the immediate hemostasis rate and the hemostasis rate within 24 hours in the combined group were distinctly higher compared to the control group. The difference has statistical significance (P < 0.05). The total effective rate of the combined group was distinctly higher compared to the control group (P < 0.05). By comparing the expression levels of hs-CRP and IL-6 protein in the serum of the two groups before and after treatment, it was found that there was no significant difference in the expression levels of hs-CRP and IL-6 protein before treatment. However, after treatment, it was found that the levels of hs-CRP and IL-6 protein in the combined group were distinctly lower compared to the control group (P < 0.05). By analyzing adverse reactions, it was found that the combined group had distinctly lower adverse reactions compared to the control group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

This work provides an experimental basis for the diagnosis and treatment of non-esophagogastric varicose UGB in the clinic.

Admission discipline and timing of admission may influence outcomes for gastrointestinal bleeding patients

BACKGROUND

Bleeding of the gastrointestinal tract (BGIT) is a common gastrointestinal emergency. There is no consensus whether this condition should be admitted to medical or surgical discipline. Timing of presentation may also impact patient outcomes due to differences in healthcare resource availability. This study thus aims to investigate the impact of admitting discipline and timing of admission on patient outcomes in BGIT.

METHODS

A 2-year tertiary institution database was retrospectively reviewed. Outcome measures included 30-day mortality, 30-day readmissions and rebleeding requiring repeat endoscopic, angiographic or surgical interventions. Secondary outcome measures included time to endoscopy, percutaneous angiographic interventions and surgery. The effect of admission discipline (medical versus surgical) and time of admission (office-hours versus after office-hours) were analysed using a propensity-score-adjusted estimate.

RESULTS

A total of 1384 patients were included for analysis, medical (n = 853), surgical (n = 530); during office-hours (n = 785) and after office-hours (n = 595). After propensity-score-adjusted analysis, no significant differences in mortality or readmissions were noted between medical or surgical admissions. Patients admitted under surgery were less likely to sustain rebleeding (P = 0.004) for lower BGIT and had an earlier time to endoscopy for upper BGIT (P = 0.04). Patients admitted after office-hours had similar outcomes with those admitted during office hours apart from a delay in time to endoscopy (P = 0.02).

CONCLUSION

For BGIT patients, admission to a surgical discipline compared to a medical discipline appeared to have at least equivalent patient outcomes. Patients presenting with BGIT after office-hours were more likely to experience a delay to endoscopy, although it did not affect patient mortality.

Endoscopic diagnosis and management of nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage (NVUGIH): European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE) Guideline - Update 2021

1: ESGE recommends in patients with acute upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage (UGIH) the use of the Glasgow-Blatchford Score (GBS) for pre-endoscopy risk stratification. Patients with GBS ≤ 1 are at very low risk of rebleeding, mortality within 30 days, or needing hospital-based intervention and can be safely managed as outpatients with outpatient endoscopy.Strong recommendation, moderate quality evidence. 2: ESGE recommends that in patients with acute UGIH who are taking low-dose aspirin as monotherapy for secondary cardiovascular prophylaxis, aspirin should not be interrupted. If for any reason it is interrupted, aspirin should be re-started as soon as possible, preferably within 3-5 days.Strong recommendation, moderate quality evidence. 3: ESGE recommends that following hemodynamic resuscitation, early (≤ 24 hours) upper gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy should be performed. Strong recommendation, high quality evidence. 4: ESGE does not recommend urgent (≤ 12 hours) upper GI endoscopy since as compared to early endoscopy, patient outcomes are not improved. Strong recommendation, high quality evidence. 5: ESGE recommends for patients with actively bleeding ulcers (FIa, FIb), combination therapy using epinephrine injection plus a second hemostasis modality (contact thermal or mechanical therapy). Strong recommendation, high quality evidence. 6: ESGE recommends for patients with an ulcer with a nonbleeding visible vessel (FIIa), contact or noncontact thermal therapy, mechanical therapy, or injection of a sclerosing agent, each as monotherapy or in combination with epinephrine injection. Strong recommendation, high quality evidence. 7 : ESGE suggests that in patients with persistent bleeding refractory to standard hemostasis modalities, the use of a topical hemostatic spray/powder or cap-mounted clip should be considered. Weak recommendation, low quality evidence. 8: ESGE recommends that for patients with clinical evidence of recurrent peptic ulcer hemorrhage, use of a cap-mounted clip should be considered. In the case of failure of this second attempt at endoscopic hemostasis, transcatheter angiographic embolization (TAE) should be considered. Surgery is indicated when TAE is not locally available or after failed TAE. Strong recommendation, moderate quality evidence. 9: ESGE recommends high dose proton pump inhibitor (PPI) therapy for patients who receive endoscopic hemostasis and for patients with FIIb ulcer stigmata (adherent clot) not treated endoscopically. (A): PPI therapy should be administered as an intravenous bolus followed by continuous infusion (e. g., 80 mg then 8 mg/hour) for 72 hours post endoscopy. (B): High dose PPI therapies given as intravenous bolus dosing (twice-daily) or in oral formulation (twice-daily) can be considered as alternative regimens.Strong recommendation, high quality evidence. 10: ESGE recommends that in patients who require ongoing anticoagulation therapy following acute NVUGIH (e. g., peptic ulcer hemorrhage), anticoagulation should be resumed as soon as the bleeding has been controlled, preferably within or soon after 7 days of the bleeding event, based on thromboembolic risk. The rapid onset of action of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACS), as compared to vitamin K antagonists (VKAs), must be considered in this context.Strong recommendation, low quality evidence.

Does Weekend Hospital Admission Affect Upper Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage Outcomes?: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

Compared with weekday admissions, weekend admissions are consistently associated with worse patient outcomes, known as the "weekend effect." The weekend effect may have adverse health consequences, including death. To determine the potential impact of the weekend effect on primary (ie, mortality) and secondary outcomes of patients with upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage (UGIH).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This was a network meta-analysis based on cohort studies. Databases were searched for studies published up to April 2018. The predefined primary outcome was mortality (30-d mortality and in-hospital mortality). The secondary efficacy outcomes were rebleeding rates, use of endoscopic therapy, need for surgery or angiography, mean length of hospital stay, and time to endoscopy. The study protocol was registered with PROSPERO (No. CRD42018094660).

RESULTS

In total, 25 studies, including 28 analyses (N=1,203,202 patients), were eligible. The results revealed a tendency toward increased 30-day mortality and increased in-hospital mortality among weekend admissions. In a subgroup analysis, there were significance differences in mortality according to the study location (ie, Europe) and UGIH type (ie, variceal UGIH), with these subgroups having elevated mortality rates. Moreover, weekday admissions were associated with a significant decrease in rebleeding rates. In the network meta-analysis, the study location (in Europe or Asia) and type of UGIH (ie, variceal UGIH) were associated with an increased likelihood of high in-hospital mortality among weekend admissions.

CONCLUSIONS

The evidence derived from this network meta-analysis supports the idea that weekend admissions are associated with an increased risk of death, especially among variceal UGIH patients in European hospitals.

Optimal timing of endoscopy in patients with acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding

Endoscopy is the gold standard for evaluating and treating acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB). The optimal timing of endoscopy is a very important consideration in the overall management of UGIB, but there is on going uncertainty regarding timing of the procedure, particularly in those with more severe bleeding. This is reflected by inconsistencies between current guidelines. Although evidence suggests endoscopy should be undertaken within 24 h for all admitted patients with UGIB, a small group of patients with severe bleeding or high-risk features may require more urgent endoscopy. The exact timing of the procedure in this high-risk group remains unclear, with recent data suggesting that performing endoscopy too early may be associated with worse outcome. In this article we examine the evidence for optimal timing of endoscopy in patients presenting with UGIB and suggest a clinical approach to this important aspect of patient management.

The weekend effect: does hospital mortality differ by day of the week? A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

The concept of a weekend effect, poorer outcomes for patients admitted to hospitals at the weekend is not new, but is the focus of debate in England. Many studies have been published which consider outcomes for patients on admitted at the weekend. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to estimate the effect of weekend admission on mortality in UK hospitals.

METHODS

This is a systematic review and meta-analysis of published studies on the weekend effect in UK hospitals. We used EMBASE, MEDLINE, HMIC, Cochrane, Web of Science and Scopus to search for relevant papers. We included systematic reviews, randomised controlled trials and observational studies) on patients admitted to hospital in the UK and published after 2001. Our outcome was death; studies reporting mortality were included. Reviewers identified studies, extracted data and assessed the quality of the evidence, independently and in duplicate. Discrepancy in assessment was considered by a third reviewer. All meta-analyses were performed using a random-effects meta-regression to incorporate the heterogeneity into the weighting.

RESULTS

Forty five articles were included in the qualitative synthesis. 53% of the articles concluded that outcomes for patients either undergoing surgery or admitted at the weekend were worse. We included 39 in the meta-analysis which contributed 50 separate analyses. We found an overall effect of 1.07 [odds ratio (OR)] (95%CI:1.03-1.12), suggesting that patients admitted at the weekend had higher odds of mortality than those admitted during the week. Sub-group analyses suggest that the weekend effect remained when measures of case mix severity were included in the models (OR:1.06 95%CI:1.02-1.10), but that the weekend effect was not significant when clinical registry data was used (OR:1.03 95%CI: 0.98-1.09). Heterogeneity was high, which may affect generalisability.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite high levels of heterogeneity, we found evidence of a weekend effect in the UK, even after accounting for severity of disease. Further work is required to examine other potential explanations for the "weekend effect" such as staffing levels and other organisational factors.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

PROSPERO International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews -registration number: CRD42016041225 .

Endoscopy Timing in Patients with Acute Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding

Background/Aims

The role of very early (≤12 hours) endoscopy in nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding is controversial. We aimed to compare results of very early and early (12–24 hours) endoscopy in patients with upper gastrointestinal bleeding demonstrating low-risk versus high-risk features and nonvariceal versus variceal bleeding.

Methods

This retrospective study included patients with nonvariceal and variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding. The primary outcome was a composite of inpatient death, rebleeding, or need for surgery or intensive care unit admission. Endoscopy timing was defined as very early and early. We performed the analysis in two subgroups: (1) high-risk vs. low-risk patients and (2) variceal vs. nonvariceal bleeding.

Results

A total of 102 patients were included, of whom 59.8% underwent urgent endoscopy. Patients who underwent very early endoscopy received endoscopic therapy more frequently (p=0.001), but there was no improvement in other clinical outcomes. Furthermore, patients at low risk and with nonvariceal bleeding who underwent very early endoscopy had a higher risk of the composite outcome.

Conclusions

Very early endoscopy does not seem to be associated with improved clinical outcomes and may lead to poorer outcomes in specific populations with upper gastrointestinal bleeding. The actual benefit of very early endoscopy remains controversial and should be further clarified.