ACP Journal Club. A restrictive transfusion strategy reduced 45-day mortality in patients with acute upper GI bleeding.

Patients: 921 patients > 18 years of age (mean age 65 y, 68% men) who were hospitalized with severe, acute upper GI bleeding (hematemesis, bloody nasogastric aspirate, or melena). Exclusion criteria included massive exsanguinating or lower GI bleeding; recent trauma or surgery; Rockall score = 0 (low rebleeding risk) with hemoglobin (Hgb) level > 12 g/dL; or an acute coronary syndrome, symptomatic peripheral vasculopathy, stroke, transient ischemic attack, or transfusion in the past 90 days.