Correlation Between Presence Of Esophageal Varices,Varices Sizes And Hepatic Venous Flow Rate In Patients With Chronic Liver Disease

Correlation Between Presence Of Esophageal Varices,Varices Sizes And Hepatic Venous Flow Rate In Patients With Chronic Liver Disease Aim: To determine whether there is correlation between the presence and size of esophageal varices and hepatic venous flow rate, portal vein diameter, spleen size and platelet count in cirrhotic patients, thus contributing to the development of new methods in folowing patients. Methods: Patients applied to our clinic within one year, were diagnosed as cirrhosis and underwent esophagogastroscopy for varices control were taken to work. Also, the people who are thought to have cirrhosis, underwent endoscopy to investigate existence of varices. Doppler ultrasonography was performed after the patients' endoscopy and the association between variceal size and hepatic venous flow rate, platelet count, portal venous diameter and spleen size was investigated. Findings: Seventy six patients who met the criteria were included in the study. Thirty of these patients were male and 46 were female. The mean age of the patients was 61,15. Viral etiology was the most common cause in the patients and the most common virus was HCV. Platelet count, spleen diameter, portal ven diameter, hepatic vein flow rates were compared in three groups according to variceal grades. No correlation was found between varices sizes and the parameters. Then the patients divided into two groups as small varices (stage 0 and stage 1) and the large varices (stage 2 and stage 3). Afterwards the same parameters were examined; spleen size, portal vein diameter and thrombocyte counts were found to be statistically significant between the groups. On the other hand, no significant difference was found in terms of hepatic venous flow rate as predicted. Conclusion: In our study, unlike anticipated liver cirrhosis etiology in our country, HCV was in the first rank and the number of female patients was higher. Spleen diameter, portal vein diameter is significantly larger in the large varices group. Also, platelet count was significantly lower in the large varices group. There was no correlation between hepatic vein flow rate and variceal size. Individuals with chronic liver disease require methods to detect small varices, which will further reduce endoscopic follow-up. Ultrasonographic methods can be used for this purpose. However, these studies need to be performed in larger and homogeneous patient groups. KEY WORDS: cirrhosis, hepatic vein flow velocity, platelet