Glasgow-Blatchford score

The Glasgow-Blatchford score (GBS) is a widely-used and well-validated scoring system for upper GI bleeding and the need for intervention.

Score

The scoring system relies upon knowing the patient's urea, hemoglobin, systolic blood pressure, and several other criteria. Each criterion is scored, and the points added together to give a single overall score.

Urea (mg/dL)

• <18.2                   0 points

• 18.2-22.3             2 points

• 22.4-28                3 points

• 28-70                   4 points

• >70                      6 points

Hemoglobin (g/dL) - men

• >13                      0 points

• 12-13                   1 points

• 10-12                   3 points

• <10                      6 points

Hemoglobin (g/dL) - women

• >12                     0 points

• 10-1                    1 points

• <10                     6 points

Systolic BP (mm Hg)

• ≥110                   0 points

• 100–109             1 points

• 90–99                 2 points

• <90                     3 points

Other criteria

• pulse ≥100 per min            1 point

• melena present                1 point

• presentation with syncope  2 points

• liver disease history           2 points

• cardiac failure present       2 points

Evaluation

The original classification designated a score of 0 as low risk (so suitable for discharge) and any score >0 to be higher risk for requiring endoscopic therapy or other intervention ¹. Subsequent studies have attempted to establish whether the low risk score could be extended to 1 or 2 ^2-5.

History and etymology

The Glasgow-Blatchford score was devised by a (now retired) Scottish public health specialist Oliver Blatchford (fl. 2022) et al, from studying a large population of patients in the city of Glasgow in 1997 ¹.

See also

• Rockall score

• AIMS65 score

• Progetto Nazionale Emorragia Digestiva score