Inpatient Outcomes of Gastrointestinal Bleeding in Advanced CKD and Kidney Transplant Recipients

Key Points Advanced CKD and ESKD are independent risk factors for gastrointestinal bleeding hospitalizations, angiodysplasia bleeding, and in-hospital mortality.Patients with ESKD with gastrointestinal bleeding exhibit significantly higher rates of adverse outcomes compared with those without CKD.Patients with advanced CKD and ESKD had lower rates of early endoscopy and higher rates of delayed endoscopy, with delayed endoscopy linked to increased mortality. Background Patients with kidney disease are at increased risk for gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB). This study aimed to investigate the incidence, causes, interventions, and inpatient outcomes of GIB in patients with advanced CKD (ACKD), ESKD, and kidney transplant (KT) recipients, compared with those without CKD (NCKD). Methods This retrospective study used the Nationwide Inpatient Sample database to identify adult patients admitted nonelectively with GIB from 2016 to 2019. Patients were stratified into five groups: ACKD (CKD stages 4 or 5), ESKD, KT, NCKD, and others (including CKD stages 1-3 and unspecified CKD). We compared outcomes across these groups and conducted subgroup analyses within the ACKD and ESKD groups to explore the association between mortality and the timing of endoscopic evaluation. Multivariate logistic regression (for binary outcomes) and linear regression (for continuous outcomes) models were used to analyze the dependent variables. Results A total of 2,163,929 patients were included. The incidence of GIB hospitalizations was higher in the ACKD (3.2%) and ESKD (3.4%) groups and lower in the KT group (2.1%) compared with the NCKD group (2.2%). All-cause in-hospital mortality was increased in ACKD, ESKD, and KT (3.0%, 3.1%, and 2.0%, respectively) compared with NCKD (1.7%). ESKD patients had higher rates of mechanical ventilation, vasopressor support, and blood transfusion, along with prolonged and costly hospitalizations (P < 0.001). ACKD and ESKD groups had lower rates of early endoscopy (<24 hours) and higher rates of delayed endoscopy (>48 hours), with delayed endoscopy linked to increased mortality. ACKD and ESKD were independent risk factors for angiodysplasia bleeding, while KT was a risk factor for diverticular and esophageal bleeding. Conclusions ACKD and ESKD are independent risk factors for GIB hospitalizations and in-hospital mortality, with delayed endoscopy further worsening outcomes. Tailored treatment plans are essential to improve outcomes in this complex population.