A New Risk Score for the Emergency Department in Patients With Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding

Comparison of the New Risk Score (ABL Score) With the Glasgow Blatchford Score, AIMS65, and Pre-Endoscopic Rockall Score in Patients With Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding Admitted to the Emergency Department

Abstract Background: The aim of this study was to develop a simpler, more practical, and highly effective risk scoring system for patients presenting to the emergency department with upper gastrointestinal bleeding.

Methods: This single-center retrospective observational study was conducted by reviewing data from patients aged 18 years and older who presented to the Emergency Medicine Clinic of Sakarya Training and Research Hospital with symptoms and signs of upper gastrointestinal bleeding between January, 2022 to June, 2023. Patients were divided into six groups for analysis. Patients included in the transfusion, intervention, intense care unit, readmission or mortality groups were classified as high risk. Using the obtained data, a new scoring system was developed, and its effectiveness in predicting high risk and all subgroups was compared with the Glasgow Blatchford Score, AIMS65, and pre-endoscopic Rockall Score.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients aged over 18 years who presented to the ED with UGIB symptoms and signs (hematemesis, melena, and hematochezia) and were hospitalized between January 1, 2022, and June 1, 2023, were included in the study.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients with insufficient data, lower gastrointestinal bleeding, or those who did not undergo endoscopy due to death, refusal of treatment, or symptom resolution were excluded.