Peptic ulcer laboratory tests
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Guillermo Rodriguez Nava, M.D. [2] Manpreet Kaur, MD [3]
Overview
Lab tests for the diagnosis of peptic ulcer can be divided into invasive and non-invasive tests. The most common invasive tests include rapid urease testing, histology, and culture and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). The most common non-invasive test include urea breath test, antibody testing, and monoclonal fecal antigen.
- The possibility of other causes of ulcers, notably malignancy (gastric cancer) needs to be kept in mind. This is especially true in ulcers of the greater (large) curvature of the stomach; most are also a consequence of chronic H. pylori infection.
- Esophagogastroduodenoscopy: indicated in patients >55 years, those whose symptoms do not respond to medications, those with alarm symptoms (bleeding, weight loss, chronicity, persistent vomiting.[1]
In patients with acute upper GI bleeding who are unstable rapid assessment and resuscitation should be initiated even before diagnostic evaluation. Once hemodynamic stability is achieved, a proper clinical history, physical examination, and initial laboratory findings are crucial not only in determining the likely sources of bleeding but also in directing the appropriate intervention. In acute GI bleeding, initial hematocrit level measured will not accurately reflect the amount of blood loss. Laboratory findings of chronic upper GI bleeding include anemia, coagulopathy, and an elevated BUN-to-creatinine ratio.
Initial Laboratory Studies
- Common laboratory findings include anemia, coagulopathy, and an elevated BUN-to-creatinine ratio.[2][3]
- The hematocrit level is used to identify the degree of blood loss and suggests the acuity or chronicity of blood loss.[4][5]
- Serial complete blood count (CBC) tests are important for monitoring the presence of ongoing blood loss.
- Initial CBC may not fully reflect the actual degree of acute blood loss.
- On peripheral blood smear prepared with Wright-Giemsa stain, normal erythrocytes are smaller than the nucleus of a normal lymphocyte, and the central clear area should not be overly prominent.
- Iron-deficiency anemia is associated with chronic blood loss, in which erythrocytes are smaller (microcytic) and appear lighter (hypochromic) than normal cells.
- Mild to moderate thrombocytopenia (>30 × 103/µL) does not usually result in spontaneous bleeding, although patients with a pre-existing lesion may bleed in the presence of even mild thrombocytopenia.[6]
- Platelet count may rise in response to significant gastrointestinal bleeding and may fall with multiple blood transfusions.
- Low ferritin level is the most specific test for iron-deficiency anemia. This finding together with a low iron and high TIBC levels are helpful in diagnosing iron-deficiency anemia, a common complication of ongoing or significant UGIB.[2]
- BUN level may be elevated out of proportion to any increase in the creatinine level in patients with UGIB, secondary to breakdown of blood proteins to urea by intestinal bacteria.[7]
- In patients with esophageal varices, acquired coagulopathies (Increased PT,PTT) are common due to cirrhosis.
References
- ↑ Ramakrishnan K, Salinas RC (2007). "Peptic ulcer disease". Am Fam Physician. 76 (7): 1005–12. PMID 17956071.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Tomizawa M, Shinozaki F, Hasegawa R, Shirai Y, Motoyoshi Y, Sugiyama T, Yamamoto S, Ishige N (2015). "Laboratory test variables useful for distinguishing upper from lower gastrointestinal bleeding". World J. Gastroenterol. 21 (20): 6246–51. doi:10.3748/wjg.v21.i20.6246. PMC 4445101. PMID 26034359.
- ↑ Owensby S, Taylor K, Wilkins T (2015). "Diagnosis and management of upper gastrointestinal bleeding in children". J Am Board Fam Med. 28 (1): 134–45. doi:10.3122/jabfm.2015.01.140153. PMID 25567834.
- ↑ Raju GS, Gerson L, Das A, Lewis B (2007). "American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Institute medical position statement on obscure gastrointestinal bleeding". Gastroenterology. 133 (5): 1694–6. doi:10.1053/j.gastro.2007.06.008. PMID 17983811.
- ↑ Bull-Henry K, Al-Kawas FH (2013). "Evaluation of occult gastrointestinal bleeding". Am Fam Physician. 87 (6): 430–6. PMID 23547576.
- ↑ Tomizawa M, Shinozaki F, Hasegawa R, Shirai Y, Motoyoshi Y, Sugiyama T, Yamamoto S, Ishige N (2016). "Low hemoglobin levels are associated with upper gastrointestinal bleeding". Biomed Rep. 5 (3): 349–352. doi:10.3892/br.2016.727. PMC 4998006. PMID 27588176.
- ↑ Wilkins T, Khan N, Nabh A, Schade RR (2012). "Diagnosis and management of upper gastrointestinal bleeding". Am Fam Physician. 85 (5): 469–76. PMID 22534226.