Diagnosis and Surveillance of Esophageal Varices in Liver Cirrhosis

Author(s):  
Erwin Biecker
2020 ◽  
pp. 1-2
Author(s):  
Revathy Marimuthu Shanmugam ◽  
Vinay C ◽  
Sathya Gopalasamy ◽  
Chitra Shanmugam

BACKGROUND: Many noninvasive surrogate marker for Portal hypertension or for the presence or grade of esophageal varices were studied..Splenomegaly along with splenic congestion secondary to splenic hyperdynamic circulation is seen secondary to Portal hypertension in cirrhotic patients that can be quantified by elastography. AIM:The aim of this study was to investigate whether spleen stiffness, assessed by TE, useful tool for grading chronic liver diseases and to compare its performance in predicting the presence and size of esophageal varices in liver cirrhosis patients. METHODOLOGY:86 patients with cirrhosis and 80 controls underwent transient elastography of liver and spleen for the assessment of liver stiffness (LSM) and spleen stiffness (SSM) . Upper GI endoscopy done in all Cirrhotic patients. RESULTS: Spleen stiffness showed higher values in liver cirrhosis patients as compared with controls: 58.2 kpa vs14.8 kpa (P < 0.0001) and also found to be significantly higher in cirrhotic patients compared with varices and those without varices (69.01 vs 42.05 kpa, P < 0.0001). Liver stiffness was also found to be higher in cirrhotic patients with varices when compared to patients without varices (38.5vs 21.2 kpa). Using both liver and spleen stiffness measurement we can predicted the presence of esophageal varices correctly. CONCLUSION: Spleen stiffness can be assessed using transient elastography, higher value correlated well with liver cirrhosis and presence of esophageal varices although it couldn’t correlate with grade of Esophageal Varix. Combined assessment of spleen and liver stiffness had better prediction of presence of Esophageal Varix.


Author(s):  
Naglaa El-Toukhy Ramadan El-Toukhy ◽  
Sharaf Elsayed Ali Hassanien ◽  
Ramy A. Metwaly ◽  
Medhat A. Khalil ◽  
Badawy A. Abdulaziz

Background and Study Aims: Portal hypertension is one of the most important complications of liver cirrhosis. The prevalence of varices among cirrhotic patients is variable. Therefore, endoscopic screening of all patients with liver cirrhosis would result in a large number of unnecessary additional burdens to endoscopic units. Our aim was to assess the diagnostic accuracy of spleen stiffness measured by transient elastography (Fibroscan) for prediction of the presence of varices in patients with hepatitis C related cirrhosis. Patients and Methods: The study was carried out on 100 patients with HCV-induced cirrhosis and were divided into 2 groups according to presence or absence of varices by Esophago-gastro-duodenoscopy: Group I: patients with HCV-induced cirrhosis with varices; Group II: patients with HCV-induced cirrhosis without varices. Clinical and laboratory parameters, andominal ultrasonography, Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and transient elastography to assess the liver and spleen stiffness were carried out to all studied persons. Results: Spleen stiffness had significant diagnostic value to differentiate between cirrhotic patients with varices and cirrhotic patients without varices , it had significant diagnostic value in presence of esophageal varices at cut-off (≥46.4 K Pascal) the sensitivity for detection of esophageal varices was 93%, specificity 100%, positive predictive value (PPV) was 80%, negative predictive value (NPV) was 100%; accuracy was 95% and area under the curve was 0.98 denoting that spleen stiffness is a good predictor of esophageal varices. Conclusion: Spleen stiffness was considered as an excellent predictor of esophageal varices and better than liver stiffness in prediction of esophageal varices presence and had significant diagnostic value to differentiate between the patients with varices and patients without varices at cut off (≥46.4 K Pascal) and it may have a role in variceal grading.


2013 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 36-45
Author(s):  
V.I. Rusin ◽  
◽  
К.Е. Rumjantsev ◽  
I.I. Kopolovec ◽  
I.B. Kravchuk ◽  
...  

PEDIATRICS ◽  
1954 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-48
Author(s):  
EDUARDO ECHEVERRÍA

Brief considerations are made on incidence, symptomatology, endoscopic and radiologic diagnosis of esophageal varices. Mention is made of various treatments advocated. Three cases in children are described; two of them complained of liver cirrhosis and one of blocking of portal vein and chronic congestive splenomegaly; all had profuse hematemesis by varices. Splenectomy and splenorenal anastomosis were practiced without results in two cases. In view of the persistence of hematemesis, an ample thoracotomy was performed, followed by longitudinal incision of the esophagus; this brought into view the varicous columns which were then resected. The esophagus was sutured in two layers. The postoperative course was satisfactory and the esophagoscopic control done two years afterwards in two of the cases showed there has been no reproduction of varices. The third case is still under observation.


2019 ◽  
Vol 51 ◽  
pp. e172 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Macor ◽  
M. Giuffrè ◽  
F. Tinè ◽  
F. Masutti ◽  
C. Abazia ◽  
...  

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel W. Gunda ◽  
Semvua B. Kilonzo ◽  
Zakhia Mamballah ◽  
Paulina M. Manyiri ◽  
David C. Majinge ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Bleeding esophageal varices is a deadly complication of liver cirrhosis. Guidelines recommend an early diagnosis of esophageal varices before incident bleeding by screening all patients diagnosed with liver cirrhosis. Though it has been reported elsewhere that the presence of esophageal varices varies widely among cirrhotic patients this has not been assessed in Tanzania since endoscopy is not readily available for routine use in our setting. This study was designed to determine the prevalence of esophageal varices and assess the utility of clinical parameters in predicting the presence of varices among cirrhotic patients in northwestern Tanzania. Methods A cross-sectional analysis of adult patients with liver cirrhosis was done at Bugando Medical Centre. Demographic, clinical, laboratory and endoscopic data were collected and analyzed using STATA 13. The presence of esophageal varices was detected using endoscopic examination and associated factors were assessed by logistic regression. The predictive value of clinical predictors was also assessed by calculating sensitivity and specificity. Results A total of 223 patients were enrolled, where 88 (39.5%; 95%CI: 33.0–45.9) had esophageal varices. The varices were independently associated with increased age (OR: 1.02; 95%CI: 1.0–1.04; p = 0.030); increased splenic diameter (OR:1.3; 95%CI:1.2–1.5; p <  0.001), increased portal vein diameter (OR:1.2; 95%CI: 1.07–1.4; p = 0.003), having ascites (OR: 3.0; 95%CI: 1.01–8.7; p = 0.046), and advanced liver disease (OR: 2.9; 95%CI: 1.3–6.7; p = 0.008). PSDR least performed in predicting varices, (AUC: 0.382; 95%CI: 0.304–0.459; cutoff: < 640; Sensitivity: 58.0%; 95%CI: 46.9–68.4; specificity: 57.0%; 95%CI: 48.2–65.5). SPD had better prediction; (AUC: 0.713; 95%CI: 0.646–0.781; cut off: > 15.2 cm; sensitivity: 65.9%; (95% CI: 55–75.7 and specificity:65.2%; 95%CI: 56.5–73.2), followed by PVD, (AUC: 0.6392; 95%CI: 0.566–0.712;cutoff: > 1.45 cm; sensitivity: 62.5%; 95CI: 51.5–72.6; specificity: 61.5%; 95%CI: 52.7–69.7). Conclusion Esophageal varices were prevalent among cirrhotic patients, most of which were at risk of bleeding. The non-invasive prediction of varices was not strong enough to replace endoscopic diagnosis. However, the predictors in this study can potentially assist in the selection of patients at high risk of having varices and prioritize them for endoscopic screening and appropriate management.


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