Background:

The SARS-CoV-2, the cause of COVID-19, can affect the gastrointestinal tract. Despite this, it is not clear that severe COVID-19 increases the risk of upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) or its causes. In addition, factors associated with the need for endoscopic therapy are not known.

Objective:

To describe the endoscopic alterations in patients diagnosed with severe COVID-19 who underwent upper endoscopy for UGIB, as well as the factors associated with the need for endoscopic treatment.

Method:

Retrospective, comparative, and analytical study in hospitalized patients with severe COVID-19 who presented HTDA data and underwent upper endoscopy in the 1st year period. from March 2020 to February 28, 2021.

Results:

Twenty-one patients with severe COVID-19 and upper endoscopy due to UGIB were included. Eight were women (38%) and 13 men (62%) with a mean age of 53 years (± 12 years). Endoscopic findings were duodenal ulcer (52%), gastric ulcer (23%), gastric erosions (33%), and esophageal varices (20%). The only factor associated with the need for endoscopic treatment was variceal etiology (p = 0.042).

Conclusions:

The most frequent endoscopic findings in patients with severe COVID-19 and UGIB were of non-variceal cause. Variceal bleeding was associated with a greater need of endoscopic treatment.

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