The effectiveness of serial hemoglobin measurements with non-invasive bedside method during the follow-up of patients suspected for gastrointestinal bleeding in the emergency department

The effectiveness of serial hemoglobin measurements with non-invasive bedside method during the follow-up of patients suspected for gastrointestinal bleeding in the emergency departmentDr. Hanife Çiftcioğlu, Dokuz Eylül University, Faculty of Medicine, Dept. of Emergency Medicine, Izmir, TurkiyeINTRODUCTION: The aim of our study is to evaluate the availability of bedside non-invazive hemoglobin levels and the guidance in early transfussion decision on management of the patients admitted to the Dokuz Eylül University Hospital Emergency Department with gastrointestinal bleeding.METHOD: This prospective, cross-sectional and descriptive research has been done in Dokuz Eylül University Hospital Emergency Department. The patients admitted to the emergency department with suspicion of gastrointestinal bleeding and met inclusion criteria, for a month, were included. Serial bedside non-invasive measurements of hemoglobin levels (HbYB) were measured from the fourth finger of non-dominant hand with Masimo Radical-7 bedside device. Blood hemoglobin levels (HbLab) were measured with Coulter® LH 780 hematology analyzer in the hematology laboratory. HbYB and HbLab measurements were compared in terms of diagnosis and endoscopy, fluid treatment and blood transfusion requirement.RESULTS: Avarage age of the patients included to the study was 61.7±19.8 years. The most frequent symptoms of the patients were bloody vomiting and bloody stool. In our study the compatibility of HbLab and HbYB levels of the patients with pre-diagnosis of gastrointestinal bleeding was found to be statistically significant.CONCLUSION: While evaluating the need for endoscopy, fluid therapy and blood transfusion of patients with suspicion of gastrointestinal bleeding in emergency service, bedside non-invasive Hb measurement can be used instead of routine laboratory technique.Keywords: gastrointestinal bleeding, bedside hemoglobin, Radical- 7TM Pulse CO-OxymeterTM