Frequency of different types of gastric varices in patients with cirrhosis due to chronic hepatitis C

Objective: to determine the frequency of different types of gastric varices in patients with hepatitis c virus-related cirrhosis. methods: the observational cross-sectional study was conducted from august 2014 to august 2015 at aziz bhatti shaheed teaching hospital,gujrat,pakistan,using non-probability consecutive sampling. patients having liver cirrhosis only due to chronic hepatitis c virus,portal vein diameter >12mm or spleen size >12cm in long axis and ascites with no previous history of variceal banding were included. patients having cirrhosis due to other causes were excluded. data was collected using a proforma that was filled by taking history,laboratory studies,abdominal ultrasound and upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. gastric varices were classified using sarin classification. spss 20 was used for statistical analysis. results: out of 205 patients undergoing esophago-gastroduodenoscopy,122(59.5%) were male and 83(40.5%) were female with an overall mean age of 49.5±7.49 years. gastric varices were present in 30(14.6%) patients. among them,type 1 was present in 23(76.71%),type 2 in 6(19.86%) and isolated gastric varices type 1 in 3(10.27%). isolated gastric varices type 2 was not present in any patient. conclusion: gastric varices were present in minority of patients undergoing esophago-gastroduodenoscopy,and among them,gastroesophageal varices type 1 was the most common,while isolated gastric varices type 2 was not present in any patient. © 2016,pakistan medical association. all rights reserved.