Epinephrine plus argon plasma or heater probe coagulation in ulcer bleeding

Table 1 Demographic data and randomization of the groups

	APC	HPC	Total	P value
Male	33	34	67	0.418
Female	10	8	18	0.418
Duodenal ulcer	23	25	48	0.366
Gastric ulcer	20	17	37	0.366
Age (yr)	57	52	54	0.19
Forrest
1a	4	9	13
1b	39	33	72	0.291

Randomization of the groups was homogeneous (All P values > 0.05). APC: Argon plasma coagulation; HPC: Heater probe coagulation.

Table 2 Initial hemostasis and rebleeding rates of the groups

	No. of cases(gastric/duodenal ulcer)	Initial hemostasis(%)	Rebleeding(%)
APC	43 (20-23)	42/43 (97.7%)	1/42 (2.4%)
HPC	42 (17-25)	36/42 (81%)	3/36 (8.3%)
Total	85 (37-48)	78 (91.7%)	4/78 (5.1%)

There was a significant difference (P < 0.05) in initial hemostasis but not in rebleeding rates between the groups. APC: Argon plasma coagulation; HPC: Heater probe coagulation.