Prognostic Value of the Lactate-to-albumin Ratio for Predicting Mortality in Patients with Gastrointestinal Bleeding

Objective: Among the critical health emergencies stands upper gastrointestinal bleeding.In this study, we aimed to assess the factors that may influence mortality due to upper gastrointestinal bleeding.We also investigated the prognostic significance of the lactate/albumin ratio. Materials and Methods:Retrospectively included in the study were patients admitted to the internal medicine clinic due to upper gastrointestinal bleeding.Into two groups, the patients were classified based on treatment outcomes: those who recovered and those who died.Demographic data, comorbidities, causes of bleeding, AIMS65, Rockall, and Glasgow-Blatchford scores, as well as lactate/albumin ratios, were compared.Additionally, factors affecting mortality were assessed using univariate and multivariate analyses.Results: Of the 300 patients included retrospectively, 31 were in the mortality group, while 269 were in the recovery group.In the mortality group, liver cirrhosis was detected in 7 patients (22.6%), whereas in the recovery group, 20 patients (7.4%) exhibited the condition, indicating a higher prevalence among those who did not survive.In the mortality group, malignancy-associated bleeding appeared in 6 patients (19.4%), whereas in the recovery group, it was present in only 9 patients (3.3%), highlighting its stronger association with poor outcomes.Identified as independent risk factors for mortality due to gastrointestinal bleeding were a high lactate/albumin ratio and the existence of malignancy, according to univariate and multivariate analyses. Conclusion:An elevated lactate/albumin ratio in serum stands out as an independent prognostic factor for mortality among patients suffering from upper gastrointestinal bleeding.