Management of minor upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage in the community using the Glasgow Blatchford Score.

BACKGROUND: The Glasgow Blatchford Score (GBS) is a validated risk assessment tool in primary upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage, which accurately predicts the need for intervention (endoscopic therapy, blood transfusion or surgery) or death.

AIMS: To identify the GBS that predicts lack of intervention or death and to apply this to clinical practice by managing low-risk patients in the community.

METHODS: GBSs prospectively calculated on 232 patients with upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage to identify low-risk score. Patients with low-risk of requiring intervention (GBS <or=2, age <70 years) from a further 304 patients were considered for management in the community.

RESULTS: Fifty-two of 232 patients in the first cohort had a GBS <or=2 and were aged less than 70 years: none of these required intervention or died. In the second cohort 104 of 304 (34.2%) patients had a GBS <or=2 and were aged less than 70 years, none of whom died or required endoscopic therapy, blood transfusion, surgery or died. Thrity-two of 104 (10.5% of total cohort) were safely managed in the community.

CONCLUSION: Using the criteria of a GBS <or=2, aged less than 70 years to define patients at 'low risk' allows 10.5% of patients with primary upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage to be safely managed in the community.