One-Year Mortality and Morbidity of Epistaxis Compared to Controls in 1 789 Patients: Is Epistaxis Associated with Reduced Survival ?

Introduction: Epistaxis is a common emergency referral in ENT, with some anecdotal reports suggesting a potential association with increased mortality. This mortality may be related to underlying frailty and general healthcare consumption, rather than epistaxis itself. The aim of this study was to assess the one-year mortality rate in patients with epistaxis, comparing it with a control group of patients presenting with other ENT-related emergencies. Materials and Methods: This cohort study included all patients diagnosed with epistaxis between January 1, 2023, and December 31, 2023. A control group was established from
patients presenting with other ENT-related emergencies during the same period. Subjects with a history of cancer were excluded from both groups. Demographic data and frailty factors were collected retrospectively, while morbidity and mortality outcomes
were tracked prospectively at 30 days and 365 days post-admission. Secondary analyses evaluated factors associated with reduced survival. Results: A total of 1,789 patients were included in the study. The overall one-year mortality rate was 2.7%, with no significant difference between the epistaxis group (3.2%) and the control group (2.0%, p=0.1245). Mortality was found to be significantly influenced by general frailty, including older age (p<0.0001) and a history of frequent hospitalizations (p<0.0001). Conclusions: The overall one-year mortality rate for patients admitted for any ENT-related emergency, excluding cancer, was 2.7%. While epistaxis was the most common ENT emergency, it was not associated with a higher mortality risk compared to other general ENT emergencies.