Epistaxis and mortality

• Published in: Journal of laryngology and otology Vol. 132; no. 12; pp. 1061 - 1066
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01.12.2018
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Audit departments; Bleeding; Blood transfusion; Cardiovascular diseases; Cause of Death; Data collection; Death & dying; Diabetes mellitus; Emergency communications systems; Epistaxis - mortality; Female; Fractures; Hospitals; Humans; Main Articles; Male; Medical Audit; Medical referrals; Middle Aged; Mortality; Patients; Prospective Studies; Referral and Consultation - statistics & numerical data; Risk Factors; Surgeons; Systematic review; Trauma; United Kingdom > UK; Epistaxis; Clinical Audit; Hemorrhage; Mortality
• ISSN: 0022-2151; 1748-5460
• DOI: 10.1017/S0022215118002013

Epistaxis is a common emergency presentation to ENT. The 'Epistaxis 2016: national audit of management' collected prospective data over a 30-day audit window in 113 centres. A 30-day all-cause mortality rate of 3.4 per cent was identified. This study examines in more detail the subgroup of patients who died during the audit period. There were 985 eligible patients identified. Of these, 33 patients died within the audit period. World Health Organization bleeding score, Modified Early Warning System score, haemostasis time, source of referral, co-morbidities and cause of death were investigated from the dataset. Patients who died were more likely to come from a ward environment, have co-existing cardiovascular disease, diabetes or a bleeding diathesis, be on antithrombotic medication, or have received a blood transfusion. Patients did not die from exsanguination. Epistaxis may be seen as a general marker of poor health and a poor prognostic sign.