In:
Biomarkers in Medicine, Future Medicine Ltd, Vol. 12, No. 1 ( 2018-01), p. 27-34
Abstract:
Aim: Plasma Gas6 was tested as an alternative to Baveno VI criteria (liver stiffness 〈 20 kPa and platelet count 〉 150 × 10 9 /l) in an endoscopy-sparing strategy. Methods: A total of 160 patients with chronic hepatitis C and advanced fibrosis/cirrhosis underwent, on the same occasion, liver elastography, upper endoscopy, a platelet count and serum Gas6 measurement. Results: A total of 74/160 (46%) patients had esophageal varices, that were small (diameter 〈 5 mm) in 57/160 (34%) and large in 17/160 (11%) cases. A total of 34/160 (21%) patients satisfied Baveno VI criteria, according to which screening for esophageal varices could have been omitted; 1/34 had large varices (sensitivity 94%). A plasma Gas6 value 〈 45 ng/ml, detected in 34/160 (21%) patients, was also 94% sensitive. Conclusion: Plasma Gas6 might represent a feasible alternative to Baveno VI criteria when transient elastography is unavailable/unsuccessful.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
1752-0363
,
1752-0371
DOI:
10.2217/bmm-2017-0171
Language:
English
Publisher:
Future Medicine Ltd
Publication Date:
2018