Evaluating Endoscopic Hemostasis and Growth Inhibitors in Athletic Recovery: Their Role in Enhancing Coagulation and Reducing Inflammation in Athletes with Peptic Ulcer Bleeding

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of endoscopic hemostasis combined with somatostatin (SS) therapy in athletes with peptic ulcer (PU) bleeding, which is commonly exacerbated by the frequent use of NSAIDs and physical stress in sports. Methods: A total of 106 athletes with PU bleeding treated at our sports medicine facility from June 2018 to June 2022 were randomized into a research group (n=53) receiving both gastrointestinal endoscopic hemostasis and SS, and a control group (n=53) receiving only SS. We compared treatment efficacy, rebleeding rates, and adverse effects. We also measured hemostasis time, transfusion volume, and hospital stay durations. Coagulation and inflammation markers, including activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), prothrombin time (PT), thrombin time (TT), fibrinogen (FIB), gastrin (GAS), motilin (MLT), interleukin-6 (IL-6), C-reactive protein (CRP), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), were assessed before and after treatment. Results: The research group showed significantly higher treatment efficiency and lower rebleeding rates, hemostasis times, transfusion volumes, and hospital stay durations compared to the control group (P<0.05). Post-treatment, APTT, PT, TT, GAS, and MLT levels decreased in both groups, with more significant reductions in the research group. FIB levels increased in the research group compared to the control group (P<0.05). There were no significant changes in IL-6 and TNF-α levels pre- and post-treatment between the groups, while CRP levels were slightly elevated in the research group post-treatment (P<0.05). No significant difference was found in the incidence of adverse reactions between the groups (P>0.05). Conclusion: In athletes with PU bleeding, endoscopic hemostasis combined with SS treatment is more effective than SS alone, enhancing coagulation and reducing gastrointestinal hormone secretion while maintaining a high safety profile. However, the slight increase in CRP levels suggests that the more invasive nature of the combined treatment might elevate inflammatory responses, warranting careful management of inflammation in athletic populations to prevent potential impacts on recovery and performance.