<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><bold>Background and aims.</bold> Biomarkers are a simple and inexpensive way to replace the invasive diagnostic test(1,2). Portal hypertension screening recommendations in cirrhotic patients propose two such biomarkers: the platelet count and liver elastography. This recommendation derives from studies on viral cirrhosis(3). Viral cirrhosis is biologically and histologically different from steatosis related cirrhosis and traditional biomarkers used for high-risk varices screening might not be of use in this category. We aimed to evaluate their utility compared to other biomarkers for the prediction of high-risk varices of non-viral etiology in cirrhotic patients.<bold>Methods.</bold> Our current study is a monocentric, real-life, cross-sectional analysis of non-viral cirrhosis patients.<bold>Results.</bold> 50 patients with suspected cirrhosis, who underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, were included prospectively for over 8 months and 41 were analyzed. The etiology was steatohepatitis (alcohol and non-alcohol related steatohepatitis). Hyaluronic acid (AUC 0.866, r =0.600), prothrombin time (AUC 0.708, r =0.445) and spleen size (AUC 0.763, r =0.337) significantly correlated with high-risk esophageal varices. In the meantime, liver stiffness was difficult to obtain and only correlated modestly with high-risk esophageal varices and platelet count was a poor predictor of high-risk esophageal varices in this mainly steatosis related cohort of cirrhotic patients.<bold>Conclusion.</bold> We proposed hyaluronic acid, spleen size and prothrombin time as alternatives biomarkers for portal hypertension in steatohepatitis patients. Their potency should be further proven in larger studies.</abstract>

Background and aims. Biomarkers are a simple and inexpensive way to replace the invasive diagnostic test(1,2). Portal hypertension screening recommendations in cirrhotic patients propose two such biomarkers: the platelet count and liver elastography. This recommendation derives from studies on viral cirrhosis(3). Viral cirrhosis is biologically and histologically different from steatosis related cirrhosis and traditional biomarkers used for high-risk varices screening might not be of use in this category. We aimed to evaluate their utility compared to other biomarkers for the prediction of high-risk varices of non-viral etiology in cirrhotic patients.Methods. Our current study is a monocentric, real-life, cross-sectional analysis of non-viral cirrhosis patients.Results. 50 patients with suspected cirrhosis, who underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, were included prospectively for over 8 months and 41 were analyzed. The etiology was steatohepatitis (alcohol and non-alcohol related steatohepatitis). Hyaluronic acid (AUC 0.866, r =0.600), prothrombin time (AUC 0.708, r =0.445) and spleen size (AUC 0.763, r =0.337) significantly correlated with high-risk esophageal varices. In the meantime, liver stiffness was difficult to obtain and only correlated modestly with high-risk esophageal varices and platelet count was a poor predictor of high-risk esophageal varices in this mainly steatosis related cohort of cirrhotic patients.Conclusion. We proposed hyaluronic acid, spleen size and prothrombin time as alternatives biomarkers for portal hypertension in steatohepatitis patients. Their potency should be further proven in larger studies.

Hyaluronic Acid, Spleen Size and Prothrombin Time Predict the Existence of High-Risk Esophageal Varices in Non-Viral Cirrhosis in Real Life

University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova

Internal Medicine

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Background and aims. Biomarkers are a simple and inexpensive way to replace the invasive diagnostic test(1,2). Portal hypertension screening recommendations in...

Hyaluronic Acid, Spleen Size and Prothrombin Time Predict the Existence of High-Risk Esophageal Varices in Non-Viral Cirrhosis in Real Life

Published Online: Mar 12, 2020

Page range: 7 - 19

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/inmed-2020-0097

Keywords
portal hypertension, hyaluronic acid, biomarkers

© 2020 Silvia Sovaila et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Hyaluronic Acid, Spleen Size and Prothrombin Time Predict the Existence of High-Risk Esophageal Varices in Non-Viral Cirrhosis in Real Life

Published Online: Mar 12, 2020

Page range: 7 - 19

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/inmed-2020-0097

Keywordsportal hypertension, hyaluronic acid, biomarkers

© 2020 Silvia Sovaila et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
portal hypertension, hyaluronic acid, biomarkers