Impact Of Covid-19 Pandemic On Endoscopy Access Of Symptomatic Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeds (UGIB)

Aims To compare time-to-endoscopy in admissions with UGIB during COVID restrictions (March-June 2020) with those in Pre-COVID- times (March-June 2019).To assess outcomes in patients admitted with UGIB in non-covid-19 and covid-19 times.

Methods Retrospective HIPE coding from an academic teaching hospital over 12 months 2019-20 was used. All patients admitted with codes hematemesis, UGIB etc. were included, with data obtained from their electronic health records.

Results Admissions with UGIB March-June 2019 were compared with those of March-June 2020: 21 patients (12-female) underwent gastroscopy in first arm compared to 25 patients (12-female) in the second arm. Average time to endoscopy during March-June 2020 (COVID-19 pandemic restrictions) was improved at 19.9 h versus 45.57 h during March-June 2019 (p-value 0.003). Average GBS score at 6.9 was higher but not significant in admissions during COVID restrictions compared with 4.9 in admissions pre-COVID (p-value 0.31).

Conclusions Our study reveals no negative impact of COVID-19 pandemic on access to endoscopy in a cohort of symptomatic upper GI bleed with higher GBS; rather, we demonstrated improved times. This study further validates the use of GBS in clinical setting.

Citation Fagan O, Corcoran N, Van Der Mewre K et al. eP123 IMPACT OF COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON ENDOSCOPY ACCESS OF SYMPTOMATIC UPPER GASTROINTESTINAL BLEEDS (UGIB). Endoscopy 2021; 53: S136.

Publication History

Article published online:
19 March 2021