LOWER GASRTOINTESTINAL BLEEDING

ETIOLOGIC SPECTRUM IN NISHTAR HOSPITAL MULTAN

Abstract

Objectives: To determine the etiology of lower GI bleeding based on
colonoscopic findings Study design: Retrospective study. Place and Duration of study: This
study was conducted at gastroenterology unit of Nishtar Hospital Multan from Feb 2013 to
August 2014. Patients and methods: Two hundred and fifty four patients, ≥ 14 years old who
presented with history of lower GI bleeding to the gastroenterology unit of Nishtar Hospital
Multan Results: Out of 254 patients, 59.05% were males and 40.95% were females. Mean age
of patients was 37.22±10.68 years. Most common findings were haemorrhoids (40.9% cases),
ulcerative colitis(35.4%), no abnormality (8.2%), solitary rectal ulcer (7.5%), growth (7.1%),
proctitis (3.5%), polyps(2%), rectal varix (1.2%), infective colitis (0.8%), uremic colopathy
(0.8%), rectal prolapse (0.8%), multiple polyposis coli (0.8%), petechiae (0.8%), stricture (0.8%),
diverticula(0.4%)and fissure (0.4%). Conclusion: Colonoscopy is the investigation of choice for
patients of lower gastrointestinal bleeding. More common colonoscopic findings in our study
were haemorrhoids, ulcerative colitis, solitary rectal ulcer, malignancy and proctitis. Polyps and
diverticula which are common in the west were uncommon in our patients. Rectal prolapse,
petechiae, stricture, uremic colopathy and multiple polyposis coli were rare causes.