| With the aging population and more antithrombotic drugs use, an increase in lower gastrointestinal bleeding (LGIB) is suggested, while a decrease in upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) is inferred due to widespread use of proton pump inhibitors and H.pylori eradication. No studies have explored national trends in LGIB hospitalization in Japan. This study aims to identify current hospitalization trends in LGIB versus UGIB using national data. We analyzed sampling data from the National Database (NDB), covering over 95% of Japanese claims data, from 2012 to 2019, calculating the hospitalization rates per 100,000 population for major LGIBs (colonic diverticular bleeding [CDB], ischemic colitis [IC], and rectal ulcers) and UGIBs (hemorrhagic gastric ulcers [HGU], duodenal ulcers, esophageal variceal bleeding). The study showed that hospitalizations for CDB doubled from 15.1 to 34.0, and hospitalizations for IC increased by 1.6 times from 20.8 to 34.9. Meanwhile, hospitalizations for HGU significantly declined by two-thirds, from 41.5 to 27.9. In 2017, hospitalizations for CDB and IC surpassed those for HGU. No significant changes were observed in other conditions. This first national GIB hospitalization trend study demonstrates a rapid increase in LGIB patients versus a decrease in UGIB, underscoring the need for accumulating more evidence on LGIB management. This study was published online in the Journal of Clinical Biochemistry and Nutrition on 28-Feb-2024 and authorized for presentation. |
