Godwin, Woisso. Thadei  CUHAS/MD/4001819/T/16 <br/><br/>
Prevalence and associated risk factors of upper gastro-intestinal bleeding among patients at Sengerema District Hospital, Mwanza, Tanzania 

 - Mwanza, Tanzania :   Catholic University of Health and Allied Sciences CUHAS - Bugando    Phone: +255 28 298 3384 :            Fax: +255 28 298 3386 :          Email: vc@bugando.ac.tz :   Website: www.bugando.ac.tz     ©2020 
 - vii; 30 Pages Includes Refferences and Appendices  
<br/><br/> Abstract: <br/><br/>Background: Acute gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding is a potentially life-threatening abdominal emergency that remains a common cause of hospitalization. Upper GI bleeding (UGIB) is defined as bleeding derived from a source proximal to the ligament of Treitz. The incidence of UGIB is approximately 100 cases per 100,000 populations per year. Mortality rates from UGIB are 6%-10% overall. In Tanzania, up to 42% of Schistosoma Mansoni infected patients studied zoographically were found to have formation of esophagogastric varices which may potentially bleed with high mortality. In the advanced stage, periportal fibrosis (PPF) is commonly attended by portal hypertension. In Bugando Medical Centre, upper GI bleeding is one of the most common causes of admissions of the medical and surgical wards and contributes significantly to high morbidity and mortality.<br/><br/>Objectives: To determine the prevalence and associated risk factors of upper GI bleeding among admitted patients at Sengerema District Hospital in Mwanza.<br/><br/>Methodology: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted in Sengerema DDH whereby a total of 280 patients 18 years old and above were included.<br/><br/>Results: Out of 280 participants, 67 (23.9%) patients presented which history of upper gastrointestinal bleeding. Among those patients with UGIB, 35.8% had schistosomiasis, 23.9% had history of peptic ulcer diseases. Smoking was strongly associated with UGIB whereby among patients with history of cigarette smoking. 16.4% had UGIB. The long-term use of NSAIDs was also found to be the risk for UGIB whereby among 67 patients with UGIB, 32.8% had history of use NSAIDs with p=0.009.<br/><br/>Conclusion: The study shows that upper gastrointestinal bleeding was high (23.9%) among patients admitted at Sengerema DDH October 2020 to January 2021. This highlight upper gastrointestinal bleeding as a common health problem in Sengerema DDH which is related to schistosomiasis, smoking and long-term use of NSAIDs. Also, it provides an up-to-date profile of UGIB in Sengerema DDH where use of NSAIDs, cigarette smoking and schistosomiasis is endemic.<br/> 
<br/><br/><label>Subjects--Personal Names: </label>--Obstetrics and Gynecology--Internal Medicine--Biochemistry
<br/><br/><label>Subjects--Facted Index Terms: </label>--Medicine / Undergraduate Dissertation