MELD score, child-pugh score, and decreased albumin as risk factors for gastric variceal bleeding.
OBJECTIVE
Ruptured esophagogastric varices are commonly associated with bleeding in patients with portal hypertension. However, the prediction of esophageal variceal bleeding is not matched by means of predicting gastric variceal bleeding. The present study aim is to elucidate risk factors for gastric variceal bleeding.


METHODS
Twelve patients with gastric variceal bleeding and 18 patients receiving preventive treatment for gastric varices were included in the study.


RESULTS
The Child-Pugh (8.0 +/- 0.9 vs. 5.5 +/- 0.3; p = 0.0025) and Model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) (10.6 +/- 2.7 vs. 4.0 +/- 0.9; p = 0.0095) scores were significantly higher for patients with bleeding than for those receiving preventive treatment. Serum albumin concentration was significantly lower in bleeding than in preventive treatment cases, as determined by univariate (2.9 +/- 0.2 vs. 3.7 +/- 0.1 mg/dL; p < 0.0001) and multivariate analyses of serological data (odds ratio, 0.02, 95% confidence interval, 0.001-0.479; p = 0.0144).


CONCLUSIONS
The Child-Pugh and MELD scores were significantly higher for patients with gastric variceal bleeding than for those receiving preventive treatment, and multivariate analysis revealed that serum albumin was significantly lower in patients with gastric variceal bleeding. Control of serum albumin is important in preventing gastric variceal bleeding.
Soga
Koichi
K
Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kawaramachi-Hirokoji, Kyoto, Japan. sogatti@koto.kpu-m.ac.jp
Tomikashi
Koichi
K
Miyawaki
Ki-ichirou
K
Fukumoto
Kohei
K
Wakabayashi
Naoki
N
Konishi
Hideyuki
H
Mitsufuji
Shoji
S
Yoshida
Norimasa
N
Kokura
Satoshi
S
Naito
Yuji
Y
Kataoka
Keisho
K
Yoshikawa
Toshikazu
T
D004932:Esophageal and Gastric Varices / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D006503:Hepatic Veins / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000032:analysis*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014690:Venous Pressure
D012709:Serum Albumin