Fall in peptic ulcer mortality associated with increased consultant input, prompt surgery and use of high dependency care identified through peer-review audit.

Objectives: Patients with peptic ulceration continue to present to surgeons with complications of bleeding or perforation and to die under surgical care. This study sought to examine whether improved consultant input, timely interventions and perioperative care could reduce mortality from peptic ulcer.

Design: Prospective collection of peer-review mortality data using Scottish Audit of Surgical Mortality methodologies (http://www.SASM.org) and analysed using SPSS.

Setting: Secondary care; all hospitals in Scotland, UK, admitting surgical patients over 13 years (1994-2006).

Participants: 42 736 patients admitted (38 782 operative and 3954 non-operative) with peptic ulcer disease; 1952 patients died (1338 operative and 614 non-operative deaths) with a diagnosis of peptic ulcer.

Primary And Secondary Outcome Measures: Adverse events; consultant presence at operation, operations performed within 2 h and high dependency/intensive therapy unit (HDU/ITU) use.

Results: Annual mortality fell from 251 in 1994 to 83 in 2006, proportionately greater than the reduction in hospital admissions with peptic ulcer. Adverse events declined over time and were rare for non-operative patients. Consultant surgeon presence at operation rose from 40.0% in 1994 to 73.4% in 2006, operations performed within 2 h of admission from 10.3% in 1994 to 28.1% in 2006 and HDU/ITU use from 52.7% in 1994 to 84.4% in 2006. Consultant involvement (p=0.005) and HDU/ITU care (p=0.026) were significantly associated with a reduction in operative deaths.

Conclusion: Patients with complications of peptic ulceration admitted under surgical care should be offered consultant surgeon input, timely surgery and HDU/ITU care.