Published online Jun 28, 2015. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v21.i24.7500
Peer-review started: December 8, 2014
First decision: January 22, 2015
Revised: February 2, 2015
Accepted: March 18, 2015
Article in press: March 19, 2015
Published online: June 28, 2015
Processing time: 204 Days and 2.3 Hours
AIM: To examine characteristics of patients with blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels higher and lower than the normal limit.
METHODS: Patient records between April 2011 and March 2014 were analyzed retrospectively. During this time, 3296 patients underwent upper endoscopy. In total, 50 male (69.2 ± 13.2 years) and 26 female (72.3 ± 10.2 years) patients were assessed. Patients were divided into two groups based on BUN levels: higher than the normal limit (21.0 mg/dL) (H) and lower than the normal limit (L). One-way analysis of variance was performed to reveal differences in the variables between the H and L groups. Fisher’s exact test was used to compare the percentage of patients with gastric ulcer or gastric cancer in the H and L groups.
RESULTS: White blood cell count was higher in the H group than in the L group (P = 0.0047). Hemoglobin level was lower in the H group than in the L group (P = 0.0307). Glycated hemoglobin was higher in the H group than in the L group (P = 0.0264). The percentage of patients with gastric ulcer was higher in the H group (P = 0.0002). The H group contained no patients with gastric cancer.
CONCLUSION: Patients with BUN ≥ 21 mg/dL might have more severe upper gastrointestinal bleeding.
Core tip: Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) is a useful predictor of upper gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding. However, BUN is within the normal range in some patients with upper GI bleeding. Patient records were analyzed retrospectively. Patients were divided into two groups: higher than the normal limit (21.0 mg/dL) (H) and lower than the normal limit (L). White blood cell count was higher and hemoglobin was lower in the H group. Higher BUN was associated with severe upper GI bleeding. The H group suggested more severe upper GI bleeding.