Original Research PaperGastroenterology INTRODUCTION Lower gastrointestinal bleeding ( LGIB) refers to blood loss of recent 1 onset originating from a site distal to the ligament of Treitz. It usually presents as hematochezia i.e. passage of maroon or bright red blood or blood clots per rectum. Lower GI hemorrhage accounts for almost 2 20% of all cases of acute GI bleeding. It has an annual incidence of 3 hospitalization of approximately 36/100,000 population. The incidence is higher in older patients and patients taking multiple 4 medications.The etiology and the epidemiology of LGIB varies according to the environmental conditions depending upon the life style, dietary habits, the prevalence of smoking, history of drug intake, age and longevity of 2 the population etc. Lower intestinal bleeding has been found significantly more often in men than women and the incidence rate increases with age with a greater than 200 -fold increase from the third 5 to the ninth decades of life.The etiology of LGIB in adults is diverse, both in the anatomic position of causative lesion(s) and in the propensity of these lesions to cause clinically significant bleeding. The most common causes of LGIB are Diverticular (60%), Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), ischemic, others (13%), Anorectal (11%), Neoplasia (9%), Coagulopathy (4%) 6 and angiodysplasia (3%). 5 However, in the Indian experience, the etiology differs significantly. In comparison with the West, patients are younger, localization is possible in a majority of patients, mortality is lower and re-bleed rate is 7 only 4%. Nonspecific ulcers account for 30% of cases while the rest are enteric ulcers 15%, tubercular ulcers 6%, neoplasm 6%, amoebic 8 ulcers 6%, angiodysplasia 6% and others.Colonoscopy has been shown to correctly identify the source of LGIB in more than 75% of patients while also allowing a therapeutic 4 modality at the same time.Most of the studies pertaining to the etiologies of LGIB are from the west. Data relating to the incidence and etiologies of LGIB in India is scarce. Hence this study was undertaken to identify the etiological profile of patients presenting with Lower GI bleeding in a tertiary care hospital in the northern part of India.
INCLUSION CRITERIA:All the patients above 18 years of age with first presentation of Lower GI bleeding to the Department of Medicine, SRMS-IMS, Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh during the period of study are included in the study.
EXCLUSION CRITERIA:Patients unfit for Lower GI Video Endoscopy and those who did not give consent for the procedure were excluded from the study.Ethical clearance was obtained from the Institutional Ethical Committee prior to the commencement of the study. A written informed consent was taken from all the participants after explaining the nature and purpose of the study. All patients were interviewed and subjected to a clinical examination. The data was recorded in a predesigned and pretested pro forma.The participants underwent a lower gastrointestinal video endoscopy within 24 hours of presentatio...