Surgery, Gastroenterology and Oncology
Official journal of the International Association of Surgeons, Gastroenterologists and Oncologists
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Study the Relation between Blood Ammonia Level and Esophageal Varices in Egyptian Patients with Liver Cirrhosis
Objective: To investigate the diagnostic utility of venous ammonia level, as a non-invasive marker of the presence of esophageal varices, in patients with liver cirrhosis.
Background: Esophageal varices (EV) are dilated submucosal distal esophageal veins connecting the portal and systemic circulations. This happens due to portal hypertension (most commonly a result of cirrhosis), resistance to portal blood flow, and increased portal venous blood inflow. The most common fatal complication of cirrhosis is variceal rupture.
Patients and methods: The study was carried out on 120 adult Egyptian patients with liver cirrhosis, and 20 healthy subjects matched age and sex. The patients were randomly selected from those attending the Internal Medicine Department, Menoufia University, and Internal Medicine Department, Damanhur teaching hospitals from October 2018 to December 2019 years.
Results: Child-Pugh score MELD score, APRI score, and FIB4 had a sensitivity of 86%, 95%, 85%, 79%, and 85% respectively, and specificity of 80%, 65%, 70%, 68%, and 82% respectively in the detection of esophageal varices among the studied groups. there were no significant correlations between blood ammonia in the studied groups with Child-Pugh score, MELD score, APRI, FIB-4, platelet count, bilirubin, PT%, albumin, spleen diameter, and portal vein diameter (P >0.05). platelet, albumin, blood ammonia, Child-Pugh score, MELD score, spleen diameter, and portal vein diameter are independent predictors for the presence of esophageal varices (P<0.5). Hb level, MELD score, and liver diameter are predictors for esophageal variceal bleeding (P <0.05).
Conclusion: Blood ammonia was significantly higher in cirrhotic patients with esophageal varices than in patients without esophageal varices, blood ammonia has 86% sensitivity and 80% specificity for the prediction of the presence of esophageal varices and blood ammonia level is a valuable, simple noninvasive marker for the prediction of the presence of esophageal varices but not the risk of bleeding.
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Abstract:
Views: 2335
Background: Esophageal varices (EV) are dilated submucosal distal esophageal veins connecting the portal and systemic circulations. This happens due to portal hypertension (most commonly a result of cirrhosis), resistance to portal blood flow, and increased portal venous blood inflow. The most common fatal complication of cirrhosis is variceal rupture.
Patients and methods: The study was carried out on 120 adult Egyptian patients with liver cirrhosis, and 20 healthy subjects matched age and sex. The patients were randomly selected from those attending the Internal Medicine Department, Menoufia University, and Internal Medicine Department, Damanhur teaching hospitals from October 2018 to December 2019 years.
Results: Child-Pugh score MELD score, APRI score, and FIB4 had a sensitivity of 86%, 95%, 85%, 79%, and 85% respectively, and specificity of 80%, 65%, 70%, 68%, and 82% respectively in the detection of esophageal varices among the studied groups. there were no significant correlations between blood ammonia in the studied groups with Child-Pugh score, MELD score, APRI, FIB-4, platelet count, bilirubin, PT%, albumin, spleen diameter, and portal vein diameter (P >0.05). platelet, albumin, blood ammonia, Child-Pugh score, MELD score, spleen diameter, and portal vein diameter are independent predictors for the presence of esophageal varices (P<0.5). Hb level, MELD score, and liver diameter are predictors for esophageal variceal bleeding (P <0.05).
Conclusion: Blood ammonia was significantly higher in cirrhotic patients with esophageal varices than in patients without esophageal varices, blood ammonia has 86% sensitivity and 80% specificity for the prediction of the presence of esophageal varices and blood ammonia level is a valuable, simple noninvasive marker for the prediction of the presence of esophageal varices but not the risk of bleeding.
Full Text Sources:
Abstract:
Views: 2335
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ISSN: 2559 - 723X (print)
e-ISSN: 2601 - 1700 (online)
ISSN-L: 2559 - 723X
Journal Abbreviation: Surg. Gastroenterol. Oncol.
Surgery, Gastroenterology and Oncology (SGO) is indexed in:
e-ISSN: 2601 - 1700 (online)
ISSN-L: 2559 - 723X
Journal Abbreviation: Surg. Gastroenterol. Oncol.
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Surgery, Gastroenterology and Oncology (SGO) is an open-access, peer-reviewed online journal published by Celsius Publishing House. The journal allows readers to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full text of its articles.
Surgery, Gastroenterology and Oncology (SGO) is an open-access, peer-reviewed online journal published by Celsius Publishing House. The journal allows readers to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full text of its articles.
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Time to first editorial decision: 25 days
Rejection rate: 61%
CiteScore: 0.2
Time to first editorial decision: 25 days
Rejection rate: 61%
CiteScore: 0.2
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