Value of endoscopic ultrasound in early diagnosis of gastroesophageal varices in patients with liver cirrhosis

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the value of endoscopic ultrasound in the early diagnosis of gastroesophageal varices in patients with liver cirrhosis. Methods: A total of 74 patients with liver cirrhosis who were not found to have esophageal or gastric varices by conventional endoscopic examination were enrolled. Endoscopic ultrasound was performed to evaluate its value in the early diagnosis of gastroesophageal varices in patients with liver cirrhosis. The Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of non-parametric data between groups, and a one-way analysis of variance was used for comparison between multiple groups; the Pearson simple correlation coefficient was used for correlation analysis. Results: Among the 74 patients with liver cirrhosis, 3(4.1%)were not found to have esophageal and gastric submucosal varices, peripheral varices, or perforating branches by endoscopic ultrasound. Among the 71 patients with liver cirrhosis who underwent endoscopic ultrasound, 16(22.5%)had esophageal submucosal varices, and 22(31.0%)had gastric submucosal varices; 58 patients(81.7%)were found to have at least one type of esophageal peripheral varices. The numbers of patients detected to have paraesophageal varices, periesophageal varices, paragastric varices, and perigastric varices were 29(40.8%), 24(33.8%), 28(39.4%), and 22(31.0%), respectively, which were significantly different from the number in patients with chronic liver diseases(P < 0.05). Among the 71 patients with liver cirrhosis who underwent endoscopic ultrasound, 20(28.2%)were found to have perforating branches with esophageal and gastric submucosal varices or peripheral varices, which showed a significant difference from the number in patients with chronic liver diseases(P < 0.05). In patients with liver cirrhosis, esophageal and gastric peripheral varices were associated with esophageal and gastric submucosal varices(P < 0.05). Conclusion: Endoscopic ultrasound has a certain value in the early diagnosis of esophageal and gastric varices in patients with liver cirrhosis.