Sana Ahmed, Noma Sarwar, Shahzad Hafeez, Nasir Abbas, Naz Akram, Rohma Ahmed.
Diagnostic accuracy of Right liver lobe Diameter/ Albumin ratio for Non-invasive detection of esophageal varices in Hepatitis C related Cirrhosis.
Esculapio J Services Inst Med Sci Jan ;15(3):179-82.
Objective: To determine the diagnostic accuracy of Right Liver Lobe diameter/Albumin concentration ratio as a parameter for non-invasive detection of oesophageal varices without using endoscopy in patients with liver cirrhosis due to Hepatitis C. Methods: The study was a descriptive cross-sectional study, carried out in Medical Unit 4 of Services Hospital Lahore, over a period of 6 months. A total of 165 patients with hepatitis C related liver cirrhosis fulfilling the inclusion/exclusion criteria were enrolled. Right liver lobe diameter was seen transabdominal ultrasonography. Serum albumin levels of each patient were obtained and right liver lobe diameter/albumin ratio calculated. These patients then had diagnostic upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, which was performed by a single endoscopist and presence or absence of esophageal varices was documented in each case. Results: The subjects had a mean age of 49.21+10.88 years; 52.73% were male and 47.27% were females. The frequency of oesophageal varices detected by Upper GI endoscopy in these liver cirrhotics due to Hepatitis C was 41.21%. The diagnostic accuracy of right liver lobe diameter/albumin concentration ratio for detection of oesophageal varices in liver cirrhosis due to Hepatitis C, where the gold standard test was upper GI endoscopy, was calculated as sensitivity of 86.76%, specificity of 86.60%, positive predictive value of 81.94%, and negative predictive value of 90.32% and accuracy rate of 86.67%. Conclusion: The right liver lobe diameter/albumin concentration ratio is an accurate diagnostic modality for the detection of oesophageal varices noninvasively in patients of liver cirrhosis.
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