Guideline Atlas

GI bleeding

Also known as: LGIB · lower GI bleed · UGIB · upper GI bleed · variceal bleeding

Also relevant to Emergency & Critical Care

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United StatesACG/AGA/AASLD
Current

ACG Clinical Guideline: Upper Gastrointestinal and Ulcer Bleeding

American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) · 2021

This ACG guideline covers management of overt upper gastrointestinal bleeding including bleeding peptic ulcers, from risk stratification through endoscopic therapy and post-endoscopy acid suppression.

  • The guideline recommends risk stratification in the emergency department to identify very-low-risk patients suitable for outpatient follow-up. source
  • It addresses transfusion thresholds, timing of endoscopy, endoscopic haemostasis techniques and high-dose proton pump inhibitor therapy after haemostasis. source
EuropeUEG/EASL
Current

Endoscopic diagnosis and management of nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage (NVUGIH): ESGE Guideline – Update 2021

ESGE (European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy) · 2021 · Update 2021

ESGE's updated guideline covers endoscopic diagnosis and treatment of non-variceal upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage, including pre-endoscopy risk assessment, acid suppression and choice of haemostatic technique.

  • The guideline recommends the Glasgow-Blatchford Score for pre-endoscopy risk stratification. source
  • It advises that adrenaline injection not be used as sole endoscopic therapy and should be combined with a second haemostatic modality. source

US vs EU key differences

What changed recently

  1. US201220212021-05-01

    The 2021 ACG guideline withdrew the 2012 suggestion that pre-endoscopic PPI may be considered, making no recommendation either way after meta-analysis showed no effect on rebleeding or mortality. It also widened the very-low-risk group eligible for discharge from the emergency department to a Glasgow-Blatchford score of 0-1 (previously 0) and specified twice-daily PPI for two weeks after endoscopic hemostasis in high-risk ulcers, while keeping the restrictive 7 g/dL transfusion threshold.

    source ↗curation confidence 90%
  2. EU2015Update 20212021-03-01

    The 2021 ESGE update issues a strong recommendation against urgent endoscopy within 12 hours, since trial evidence showed no outcome advantage over early endoscopy performed within 24 hours of haemodynamic resuscitation. It also refreshes guidance on cap-mounted clips and topical haemostatic powders as salvage options when standard haemostasis fails.

    source ↗curation confidence 90%

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