CLINICAL TRIAL
JOURNAL ARTICLE
RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL
Add like
Add dislike
Add to saved papers

Erythromycin intravenous bolus infusion in acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding: a randomized, controlled, double-blind trial.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Emergency endoscopy may be difficult in upper gastrointestinal bleeding when blood obscures the visibility. Erythromycin, a motilin agonist, induces gastric emptying. We investigated whether an intravenous bolus infusion of erythromycin would improve the yield of endoscopy in these patients.

METHODS: Patients admitted within 12 hours after hematemesis were randomly assigned to erythromycin (250 mg) or placebo, 20 minutes before endoscopy. The primary end point was endoscopic yield, as assessed by objective and subjective scoring systems and endoscopic duration. Secondary end points were the need for a second look, endoscopy-related complications, blood units transfused, and length of hospital stay.

RESULTS: Fifty-one patients received erythromycin and 54 received placebo. A clear stomach was found more often in the erythromycin group (82% vs. 33%; P < 0.001). This difference remained significant in patients with cirrhosis. Erythromycin shortened the endoscopic duration (13.7 vs. 16.4 minutes in the placebo group; P = 0.036) and reduced the need for second-look endoscopy (6 vs. 17 cases; P = 0.018). Length of hospital stay and blood units transfused did not significantly differ between the 2 groups. No complications were noted.

CONCLUSIONS: Erythromycin infusion before endoscopy in patients with recent hematemesis makes endoscopy shorter and easier, thereby reducing the need for a repeat procedure.

Full text links

We have located links that may give you full text access.
Can't access the paper?
Try logging in through your university/institutional subscription. For a smoother one-click institutional access experience, please use our mobile app.

For the best experience, use the Read mobile app

Mobile app image

Get seemless 1-tap access through your institution/university

For the best experience, use the Read mobile app

All material on this website is protected by copyright, Copyright © 1994-2024 by WebMD LLC.
This website also contains material copyrighted by 3rd parties.

By using this service, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy.

Your Privacy Choices Toggle icon

You can now claim free CME credits for this literature searchClaim now

Get seemless 1-tap access through your institution/university

For the best experience, use the Read mobile app