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

0

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.
Share Button
New comment
Comments
No comments for this article
Related articles
Citation tools
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


Download to a citation manager

Download the citation for this article by clicking on one of the following citation managers:

Metrics
This article has received 876 visits.
This article has been downloaded 9 times.
Share
This article has been rated by 1 readers.
Reader rating:
Valora este artículo:




Asociación Española de Ecografía Digestiva Sociedad Española de Endoscopia Digestiva Sociedad Española de Patología Digestiva
The Spanish Journal of Gastroenterology is the official organ of the Sociedad Española de Patología Digestiva, the Sociedad Española de Endoscopia Digestiva and the Asociación Española de Ecografía Digestiva
Cookie policy Privacy Policy Legal Notice © Copyright 2024 y Creative Commons. The Spanish Journal of Gastroenterology