Year 2005 / Volume 97 / Number 12
Original
The value of colonoscopy to assess rectal bleeding in patients referred from Primary Care Units

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A. Sánchez, C. Muñoz, L. Bujanda, C. Iriondo, A. Gil-Molet, A. Cosme, C. Sarasqueta and M. Echenique-Elizondo

Abstract
Objectives: rectal bleeding is very common in the general
population. It is produced mainly because of benign disease originating
in the anus and the rectum. Our aim was to evaluate the
need for colonoscopy in patients presenting with rectal bleeding.
Patients and methods: patients referred from Primary Care
Units and complaining of rectal bleeding were included prospectively
in a three-month study. All patients underwent a careful
medical history along with physical examination, laboratory tests,
and colonoscopy.
Results: 126 patients with a mean age of 49.2 years (range:
19-80) were studied. Rectal digital examination was abnormal in
75 cases (59.5%). Severe disease was encountered in 22 patients
(neoplasm, angiodysplasia, and inflammatory bowel disease); 10
patients had polyps, 6 had colorectal cancer, and 6 had inflammatory
bowel disease. Out of 63 patients younger than 50 years, 5
had severe disease, all of them in the form of inflammatory bowel
disease.
Conclusions: a neoplasm of the rectum and colon in patients
younger than 50 years is a rare event. A colonoscopy must be
performed in this group of patients to rule out inflammatory bowel
disease.
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A. Sánchez, C. Muñoz, L. Bujanda, C. Iriondo, A. Gil-Molet, A. Cosme, C. Sarasqueta and M. Echenique-Elizondo. The value of colonoscopy to assess rectal bleeding in patients referred from Primary Care Units. 0


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