The risk of digestive tract complications in patients with gastrointestinal lymphoma: a propensity score study

BACKGROUND: This study assessed the clinical characteristics of gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB), obstruction (GIO), and perforation (GIP) in patients with primary gastrointestinal lymphomas. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed of 347 patients with primary gastrointestinal lymphomas admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University Between January 2014 and January 2024. The clinical characteristics of GIB, GIO, and GIP were recorded. This study employed propensity score matching (PSM) to identify risk factors for gastrointestinal complications (GICs). RESULTS: In our study of primary gastrointestinal lymphoma cohort, GICs occurred in 34.0% of patients. In our study, GIB occurred in 75 cases (21.6%), GIO occurred in 45 cases (12.9%) and GIP occurred in 28 cases (8.0%). PSM analysis indicated that decreased hemoglobin (112.57 ± 19.95 vs. 100.24 ± 23.20, P = 0.041) and LDH (272.00, 189.00-399.00 vs. 188.00, 166.00-230.90, P = 0.011) levels, as well as the presence of stomachache (P = 0.027) are high-risk factors for the development of GIB. Stomachache (28 [62.2%] vs. 37 [82.2%], P = 0.034), vomiting (12 [26.7%] vs. 21 [46.6%], P = 0.031), and endoscopic evidence of hyperplastic lesions (P = 0.022) are identified as high-risk factors for GIO. Moreover, patients with endoscopic findings of ulcerative lesions (4 [14.2%] vs. 12 [42.9%], p = 0.025), decreased hemoglobin levels (119.5 ± 22.32 vs. 102.79 ± 25.50, P = 0.012), stomachache (16 [57.1%] vs. 23 [82.1%], P = 0.048), and constipation (8 [28.6%] vs. 3 [10.7%], P = 0.043) are more likely to experience GIP. CONCLUSION: This study attempted to identify risk factors for GIB, GIO, and GIP in patients with primary gastrointestinal lymphoma through PSM analysis.