Background: Upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) is one of the commonest gastrointestinal emergencies encountered by clinicians. The aetiology of UGIB is variable in different geographical regions. Endoscopy has become the preferred method for diagnosis in patients with acute UGIB. The study is done to determine etiologic spectrum of UGIB in patients of upper gastrointestinal bleeding in a tertiary care hospital, SRMS IMS Bareilly.

Aim: To determine the frequency of various aetiologies of upper gastrointestinal bleeding.

Material and Method: This is a retrospective study carried out at SRMS–IMS hospital Bareilly over a 3 month period between March to May 2017 on 100 patients presenting with upper GI bleed are included in this study and their clinical presentation, aetiology of bleed, and outcome. Hemodynamically stable patients were kept empty stomach for at least 6–8 hrs. before procedure. A detailed history and physical examination was done before endoscopy.

Results: The mean of patients was 45.04 years with male: female ratio 2.33:1. 54% patients were first time bleeders. Complain of melaena present in majority of patients. Visualisation of active bleeding was achieved in 84% of cases when endoscopy was done in first 24 hrs. The most common cause was varices bleed 44% cases. Gastric ulcer was responsible in 24% cases. Duodenal ulcer caused in 14% of cases. Malignancy accounted for 11% bleeding.Other less common causes were  Mallory– Weiss tear (3%), Oesophageal ulcer(2%), erosion(2%). Among 44% of variceal bleed 50% were alcoholic, 34.09% were of viral aetiology, and 13.63% were cryptogenic.

Conclusion:Oesophageal varies is the major cause of upper GI bleed in our set up reflecting high prevalence of alcoholic liver cirrhosis followed by HBV and HCV infections.