What does the Glasgow-Blatchford Score measure?

The GBS is a validated pre-endoscopy tool that predicts whether a patient with acute upper GI bleeding will need a clinical intervention — such as blood transfusion, endoscopic therapy, or surgery. It does not predict mortality directly but identifies who needs urgent care.

What score indicates low risk?

A score of 0 has a very high negative predictive value for needing intervention. Patients scoring 0 can often be managed as outpatients without urgent endoscopy. Scores of 1–2 are still relatively low risk; scores above 6 carry substantial intervention risk.

Should I enter BUN in mg/dL or mmol/L?

The original GBS was developed using blood urea in mmol/L. This calculator accepts both units and converts automatically. Normal BUN is roughly 7–25 mg/dL (2.5–9 mmol/L).

How does the GBS differ from the Rockall Score?

The GBS is purely pre-endoscopy and focuses on predicting need for intervention. The Rockall Score has both pre- and post-endoscopy versions and focuses on predicting rebleeding and mortality. GBS is generally preferred for initial triage before endoscopy.

Does this replace clinical judgment?

No. The GBS is a decision support tool. Final management must incorporate clinical judgment, local protocols, endoscopy availability, and patient-specific factors.

Glasgow-Blatchford Score (GBS) Calculator

Score	Risk	Guidance
0	Very Low	Safe for outpatient management; intervention very unlikely
1–2	Low	Consider early discharge with close follow-up
3–5	Moderate	Inpatient observation; elective endoscopy
6–12	High	Urgent endoscopy; high probability of intervention
≥ 13	Very High	Emergency endoscopy; near-certain intervention needed

Summary

Calculate the Glasgow-Blatchford Score to predict which upper GI bleed patients need urgent endoscopy or intervention — using BUN, hemoglobin, BP, and clinical features.

How it works

Enter the blood urea nitrogen (BUN) level in mg/dL or mmol/L.
Select the patient sex and enter the hemoglobin level.
Choose the systolic blood pressure range from the options.
Select pulse rate and any presentation features (melena, syncope).
Mark comorbidities (hepatic disease or cardiac failure) if present.
The score calculates instantly — a score of 0 identifies very low-risk patients safe for outpatient care.

Use cases

Triage upper GI bleed patients in the emergency department before endoscopy.
Identify very low-risk patients (score 0) suitable for outpatient management.
Determine urgency for endoscopy and hospital admission decisions.
Communicate intervention risk clearly across clinical teams.
Compare pre-endoscopy risk with the Rockall Score after endoscopy.

Blatchford GI Bleed Score Calculator

Clinical Parameters