title: [Association between varioliform gastritis and cirrhosis].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Varioliform gastritis (VG) is found in approximately 0.3 to 2.8% of upper gastrointestinal endoscopies. Its etiology is not known. We have observed a higher frequency of VG in patients with liver cirrhosis.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To confirm if there is an association between VG and liver cirrhosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two case-control studies were done. A retrospective study, reviewing the endoscopy database of a gastroenterological unit. A prospective study, identifying cases with the endoscopic diagnosis of VG among all patients referred for upper gastrointestinal endoscopies. The presence of liver cirrhosis, based on clinical, laboratory, ultrasonographic and endoscopic features was registered among patients with VG.
  
  
  RESULTS
  VG was found in 549 of 11.659 upper gastrointestinal endoscopies. Fourteen percent of patients with VG had cirrhosis compared to 5.6% in control patients (c² 29,8; p < 0.01). The odds ratio (OR) for having cirrhosis of patients with VG was 9.3 (95% confidence intervals 3.4-25.5, p < 0,01), according to a logistic regression analysis. In the prospective study, that included 1.498 upper gastrointestinal endoscopies, VG was also significantly more common among patients with liver cirrhosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A higher frequency of VG was found among patients with liver cirrhosis. Therefore, the endoscopic finding of VG should alert physicians to look for the presence of a coexistent liver cirrhosis.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Medicina Centro, Universidad de Chile, Chile. jproblero@gmail.com
authors.forename: Juan Pablo
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Roblero
authors.forename: Hernán
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Iturriaga
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Estela
mesh_terms: D016145:Endoscopy, Digestive System; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D005756:Gastritis / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged