WHAT’S KNOWN
Anemia and particularly iron deficiency anemia are very frequent in patients with Acute gastrointestinal bleedings. Although available studies on this subject are limited and old, anemia was found in more than two thirds of patients presenting with non-variceal upper GI bleeding, and anemia improved in the patients after approximately a 2-144-month follow up.
It is important to identify and correct anemia in patients presenting with AGI bleeding, because iron deficiency (ID) and ID anemia (IDA) have negative effects on the patient’s quality of life and work environment. They cause frequent hospital admissions, delays in discharge and increased healthcare costs. Follow up studies of patients with AGI bleeding are limited and there are not sufficient studies about rates of anemia, status of iron reserves and information regarding presence or absence of sufficient iron therapy in patients presenting and discharged with AGI bleeding mainly in our country.