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©2013 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Apr 7, 2013; 19(13): 2053-2059
Published online Apr 7, 2013. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v19.i13.2053
Published online Apr 7, 2013. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v19.i13.2053
Noninvasive methods for prediction of esophageal varices in pediatric patients with portal hypertension
Marina Rossato Adami, Cristina Targa Ferreira, Carlos Oscar Kieling, Vania Hirakata, Sandra Maria Gonçalves Vieira, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Post-Graduation in Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Pediatric Gastroenterology Unit, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul 91350-170, Brazil
Author contributions: Adami MR, Ferreira CT, Kieling CO, Vieira SMG designed the research; Adami MR, Kieling CO performed the research; Adami MR, Kieling CO, Hirakata V analyzed the data; Adami MR, Ferreira CT, Kieling CO, Hirakata V, Vieira SMG wrote the paper.
Supported by FIPE-HCPA (Research and Events Support Fund at Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre)
Correspondence to: Dr. Marina Rossato Adami, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Post-Graduation in Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Pediatric Gastroenterology Unit, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul 91350-170, Brasil. marinaadami2008@gmail.com
Telephone: +55-51-99613460 Fax: +55-51-99613460
Received: September 14, 2012
Revised: December 25, 2012
Accepted: January 11, 2013
Published online: April 7, 2013
Revised: December 25, 2012
Accepted: January 11, 2013
Published online: April 7, 2013
Core Tip
Core tip: Children with portal hypertension (PH) are at risk for variceal bleeding. The standard test for screening varices is endoscopy, an invasive method. We evaluated non-invasive markers for diagnosing esophageal varices (EV) in 103 children (95% intrahepatic PH). All patients had no bleeding history and underwent endoscopy for EV screening. Platelet count (< 115 000), clinical prediction rule (< 114) and risk score (cutoff > -1.2) were the best predictors of EV. Limitations are the retrospective design and the small number of pre-hepatic PH patients. The strength is the paucity of pediatric studies related to this issue and the assessment of risk score in children.