Colonoscopic evaluation of minimal rectal bleeding in average-risk patients for colorectal cancer

Table 1 Colonoscopic findings in 402 patients with minimal bright red bleeding per rectum at Loghman Hakim hospital by age group¹

		Total		Age < 40 yr		Age≥40 yr		P
		Number	Percent	Number	Percent	Number	Percent
Significant lesions	Carcinomas	26	6.5	4	2.3	22	9.8	0.002
	Polyps	30	7.5	8	4.5	22	9.8	0.046
	UC	57	14.2	37	20.9	20	8.9	0.001
	CD	10	2.5	5	2.8	5	2.2	0.700
Insignificant lesions	Hemorrhoids	218	54.2	62	35.0	156	69.3	7.2 e-012
	Anal fissures	57	14.2	38	21.5	19	8.4	0.000
	Diverticulosis	1	0.2	0	0.0	1	0.4	0.560
	SRUS	33	8.2	23	13.0	10	4.4	0.020
	AD	1	0.2	0	0.0	1	0.4	0.560
	Normal	32	8.0	23	13.0	9	4.0	0.001

UC: Ulcerative colitis; CD: Crohn’s disease; SRUS: Solitary rectal ulcer syndrome; AD: Angiodysplasia.

¹patients with more than one lesion were presented in more than one diagnostic category.

Table 2 Location of significant lesions according to the reach of different diagnostic procedures¹ in patients with minimal bright red bleeding per rectum at Loghman Hakim hospital

Distance from anal verge2	Carcinomas	Polyps	UC	CD
Age < 40 yr
10 cm	3/4	2/8	36/37	3/5
30 cm	4/4	8/8	37/37	5/5
60 cm	4/4	8/8	37/37	5/5
Entire colon	4/4	8/8	37/37	5/5
Age ≥ 40 yr
10 cm	12/22	10/22	20/20	0/5
30 cm	17/22	13/22	20/20	4/5
60 cm	21/22	21/22	20/20	5/5
Entire colon	22/22	22/22	20/20	5/5

UC: Ulcerative colitis; CD: Crohn’s disease.

¹The length of evaluation was considered 10 cm for anoscopy/rectoscopy, 30 cm for rigid sigmoidoscopy and 60 cm for flexible sigmoidoscopy;

²In patients with multiple lesions of the same type, the nearest lesion to the anal verge has been considered.