Abstract
Gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) remains a significant cause of hospitalization and mortality worldwide, including in Kazakhstan. This retrospective study analyzes the incidence, treatment outcomes, and mortality of GIB in the Republic of Kazakhstan over a 10-year period (2014–2023) using data from 101,703 patients across 254 medical institutions. The study differentiates between non-variceal and variceal GIB, highlighting a 24.5% increase in non-variceal cases and a 45.1% increase in variceal cases due to higher rates of acute ulcerative lesions and liver cirrhosis, respectively. Men were disproportionately affected, accounting for 69.3% of cases, with the highest incidence in the 18-59 age group. Despite a 27.8% increase in GIB cases, overall mortality decreased from 7.8% in 2014 to 5.0% in 2023, largely due to advances in endoscopic hemostasis and critical care management. The mortality rate for non-variceal GIB decreased to 3.0%, while variceal GIB decreased from 23.8% to 13.6%. The results underscore the need for improved prevention, especially in high-risk populations using NSAIDs and anticoagulants, and in those with chronic conditions such as liver disease.