Utility of Endoscopy in Hospitalized Patients with Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage and Pulmonary Hypertension

Gastrointestinal hemorrhage (GIH) has been reported as one of the most common GI complications in patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH). There is paucity of data on the national burden of GIH in patients with PH. We aimed to assess the prevalence, trends and outcomes of endoscopic interventions in patients with PH who were admitted with GIH.

We queried National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database from 2005 to 2014 and identified the patients hospitalized with primary or secondary discharge diagnosis of PH (ICD 9 CM Code: 416.0, 416.8, and 416.9). Using Clinical Classification Software Coding system (153) patients with concurrent diagnosis of GIH were then identified. We studied the prevalence and trends of GIH in PH, factors associated with GIH, use of endoscopy, factors associated with utilization of endoscopic interventions, endoscopy outcomes including mortality, and overall healthcare burden.

Out of 7,586,973 PH hospitalizations 3.2% (N = 246,358) had concurrent GIH, with a rising prevalence of GIH in PH patients during the last decade. Clinical predictors for GIH in PH included older age, congestive heart failure, anticoagulation therapy and concurrent alcohol abuse. Mean length of stay (LOS) in PH patients hospitalized with GIH was significantly higher than without GIH (8.6 vs. 6.4 days, p < 0.01) along with a significant increase in hospitalization cost ($20,189 vs. $14,807, p < 0.01). Similarly, odds of in-hospital mortality increase by ~ 1.5 times in PH patients with GIH than those without it (adjusted odds ratio [aOR: 1.45, 95%CI: 1.43–1.47]). Endoscopic interventions were performed in 48.6% of patients with PH and GIH during their hospitalization. Older patients were more likely to undergo endoscopy, as well as the patients who received blood transfusion, and those with hypovolemic shock. Patients with acute respiratory failure and acute renal failure were less likely to get endoscopy. Mean LOS in patients undergoing endoscopic intervention was significantly higher than those who did not receive any intervention (8.7 vs. 8.4 days, p < 0.01), without a substantial increase in hospitalization cost ($20,344 vs. $20,041, p < 0.01). Also, there was a significant decrease in in-hospital mortality in patients undergoing endoscopic interventions.

Concurrent GIH in patients with PH increases length of stay; healthcare costs and increases in-hospital mortality. Use of endoscopic interventions in these patients is associated with reduced length of stay, in-hospital mortality without significantly increasing the overall health care burden and should be considered in hospitalized patients with PH who are admitted with GIH. Future studies comparing GIH patients with and without PH should be done to assess if PH is a risk factor for worse outcomes.

Clinical trial registration number: No IRB required due to use of national de-identified data.