[Value of the BUN/creatinine ratio in localizing digestive system hemorrhage in children].

We have evaluated the usefulness of the BUN/Cr ratio in 62 children with gastrointestinal bleeding. For upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage, the calculated BUN/Cr ratios ranged from 10 to 66.6, with a mean value of 30.85. For lower gastrointestinal bleeders, the BUN/Cr ratios ranged from 12.5 to 28, with a mean value of 20.12. 18 patients with upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage had a BUN/Cr ratio greater than 30 and all patients with lower gastrointestinal hemorrhage had a ratio of less than 30. The patients with gastroduodenal peptic ulcer had the highest ratios. We concluded that the BUN/Cr ratio is useful to discriminate upper and lower bleeding sources, especially in patients with gastroduodenal ulcer.