Per rectal portal scintigraphy as a useful tool for predicting esophageal variceal bleeding in cirrhotic patients

Table 1 Baseline characteristics of the study patients

			Control(n =15)	Non bleeder(n = 25)	Bleeder(n = 25)
Age (yr)			44.27 ± 8.48	49.32 ± 10.25	44.25 ± 8.86
Sex (M/F)			8/7	20/5	25/0
Presence of ascites (%)			0	10 (40)	7 (28)
Hepatic encephalopathy (%)			0	0	3 (12)
Serum albumin (g/dL)			4.55 ± 0.26	3.16 ± 0.54	2.76 ± 0.83
Alanine aminotransferase (U/L)			18.93 ± 4.03	51.88 ± 45.9	77.12 ± 61.41b
Serum bilirubin (mg/dL)			0.65 ± 0.19	2.49 ± 1.16	5.27 ± 6.55b
Prothrombin time (s)			-	2.67 ± 1.02	3.27 ± 2.43b
Etiology of cirrhosis
Alcohol			-	9	20
Hepatitis B virus			-	6	3
Hepatitis C virus			-	5	0
Alcohol and virus			-	5	2
Child-Pugh	A		-	13	8
	B		-	9	9
	C		-	3	8

^bP < 0.01 vs bleeder and non bleeder group.

Table 2 Portal shunt index in cirrhotic patients according to the etiologies of cirrhosis, presence of ascites, Child-Pugh grade and endoscopic appearances

			n	Portal shuntindex (%)
Etiology of cirrhosis
	Alcohol		29	78.87 ± 22.05
	Virus1		14	56.67 ± 24.08
	Alcohol with virus1		7	41.23 ± 23.47
Ascites	Absence		33	62.87 ± 28.62
	Presence		17	65.92 ± 23.64
Severity of liver diseases		Child A	21	52.60 ± 25.31
		Child B	18	69.29 ± 22.34
		Child C	11	76.64 ± 22.01
Endoscopic appearances		F1	14	50.03 ± 27.63
		F2	20	67.47 ± 24.99
		F3	16	72.65 ± 8.77
		RCS-positive	27	68.16 ± 23.78
		RCS-negative	23	52.04 ± 26.31

¹ Including hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus.