Clinical and endoscopic risk factors in the Mallory-Weiss syndrome.

OBJECTIVES: Although patients with bleeding Mallory-Weiss tears are generally hospitalized, we wished to develop guidelines facilitating the selection, by clinical and endoscopic criteria, of patients who do not need hospitalization. Our specific aims were to determine whether presenting manifestations of bleeding differed in hemodynamically unstable patients, whether active bleeding or stigmata of bleeding at endoscopy were prognosticators for significant rebleeding, and the outcomes in endoscopically managed patients.

METHODS: The endoscopic and clinical features of all patients with acute GI bleeding from a Mallory-Weiss tear were obtained from our GI Bleeding Team database over a consecutive 4-yr period and analyzed for prognostic indicators.

RESULTS: 1) Presenting manifestations, e.g., hematochezia, were significantly different in hypotensive patients. 2) Active bleeding but not stigmata was associated with higher transfusion requirements. 3) Rebleeding was unusual, occurring within 24 h, more often in patients with a bleeding/coagulation diathesis. The median hospital stay was 4 days (range 1-24). Fifty-seven percent of patients received transfusion (median 4 units, range 1-26 units); requirements were higher in patients with coagulopathies.

CONCLUSIONS: Patients without risk factors for rebleeding (portal hypertension, coagulopathy), clinical features indicating severe bleeding (hematochezia, hemodynamic instability), or active bleeding at endoscopy can be managed with a brief period of observation. Patients with endoscopically active bleeding may benefit from endoscopic therapy.