Asma Abdul Razzak, Kamran Ali, Ayesha Zia, Abdul Lateef.
Frequency of Gastro Esophageal Varices in Cirrhotic patients with Splenomegaly.
Pak J Med Res Jan ;62(4):181-4.

Background: Patients with esophageal varices due to cirrhosis have a high propensity to bleed. Changes in hepatic structure result in higher resistance to portal blood flow which causes esophageal varices to form dilated portal veins and splenomegaly. Endoscopic procedures for diagnosing and treating varices have continued to evolve, with improved techniques and equipment for more effective treatment and reduced patient discomfort. Objective: To determine the frequency of gastro-esophageal varices in cirrhotic patients with splenomegaly. Study type, settings & duration: A cross-sectional study was conducted at the Department of Gastroenterology, Liaquat National Hospital, Karachi from September 2019 to February 2020.   Methodology: The sample size of 257 cirrhosis patients with splenomegaly with no prior history of variceal hemorrhage was taken. The patients with a history of hypertensive variceal bleeding, interferon therapy, and those who had received endoscopic or surgical treatment for portal hypertension were excluded from the study. The data of patients were collected by the author through a self-designed proforma and the demographics of those patients were noted. Results: Out of 257 patients with cirrhosis, 157 (62%) were male and 100 (38%) were females. The mean age of these patients was 48.65±8.22 years. The frequency of gastro-esophageal varices in cirrhotic patients with splenomegaly was 62.65% (161/257).The prevalence of gastro-esophageal varices did not differ significantly by age group and gender. Conclusion: The gastro-esophageal varices are frequently found in cirrhotic patients with splenomegaly. The chance of variceal bleeding in cirrhotic individuals can be expected by a variety of clinical and physiological parameters.

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