Abstract
Objective: To study long and short term survival in patients aged 60 years or over admitted with a peptic ulcer bleeding and find out which factors influence outcome.
Design: Cohort study with matched controls.
Setting: Two emergency hospitals, Sweden
Patients: 676 of the 687 patients aged 60 years or over admitted to the two emergency hospitals serving Gothenburg, Sweden during 1989&1993 who fulfilled the diagnostic criteria and whose case notes were available for study.
Main outcome measures: Seven year survival rates and odds ratios for risk factors based on multiple logistic regression analyses.
Results: 37 patients died and the timing was evenly distributed within the first 30 days of admission with a cumulated case-fatality rate of 5.5% at day 30. Mortality was increased among the patients compared with the control group during the subsequent years. Factors that influenced day 30 mortality were age and Forrest class.
Conclusion: Mortality is increased among patients with peptic ulcer bleeding even long after the event. Old age and signs of recent haemorrhage increase the risk.