Ratio of platelet count to splenic diameter as a predictor of esophageal varices in cirrhosis of liver - a cross sectional study at kle’s dr. Prabhakar kore hospital and mrc, belagavi.

Abstract

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Cirrhosis of the liver is a chronic and progressive disease characterized by extensive fibrosis and the formation of regenerative nodules throughout the liver tissue, which can result in complications such as portal hypertension and esophageal varices1. The prevalence of esophageal varices in cirrhotic patients varies widely, from 24% to 80%2, and they carry a high risk of bleeding. Detecting these varices is essential for diagnosing cirrhosis and serves as a prognostic indicator. Currently, endoscopy is the standard diagnostic tool3, but not all regions have easy access to this procedure. Recent research has focused on noninvasive methods to identify patients and potentially avoid the need for invasive procedures like endoscopy in low-risk populations. One such noninvasive tool is the platelet count to spleen diameter ratio (PC/SD), which can predict the presence of varices in cirrhotic patients5. AIM: To validate whether the platelet count/spleen diameter ratio can be used to predict the presence of esophageal varices in patients with hepatic cirrhosis.