The value of platelet parameters and related scoring system in predicting esophageal varices and collateral veins in patients with liver cirrhosis

OBJECTIVE: To explore the value of platelet parameters and related scoring system in predicting esophageal varices and collateral veins in patients with liver cirrhosis. METHOD: A total of 94 patients with liver cirrhosis diagnosed in our hospital from March 2017 to July 2018 were divided into without esophageal varices group (NEV) and esophageal varices group (EV) into mild, moderate, and severe subgroups according to the results of general gastroscopy. The differences of biological indexes among different degrees of esophageal varices and collateral veins were analyzed, and the related factors of esophageal varices and collateral veins were analyzed. RESULTS: PLT count and PCT decreased gradually with the increase of esophageal varices in EV group. There were significant differences in PLT count and PCT, which were negatively correlated with the degree of collateral vein in esophageal collateral vein group. The maximum cross‐sectional diameter and mean diameter of esophageal collateral veins in EV group were wider than those in NEV group. Further study showed that the maximum cross‐sectional total diameter and mean diameter of esophageal collateral veins in severe esophageal varices group were wider than those in NEV group and mild esophageal varices group. Sequential Logistic regression analysis showed that PCT could effectively predict the existence of esophageal varices. Platelet parameters had no significant diagnostic value in predicting peri‐ECV and Para‐ECV. For platelet‐related FI, APRI, FIB‐4, King, Lok, GUCI, and FibroQ scoring systems, multivariate Logistic regression showed that FI, FIB‐4, Lok and FibroQ scoring systems could effectively predict the presence of EV and Para‐ECV (P<0.05), and its Lok Index is better than other rating systems, with AUROC values of 0.773 and 0.747, respectively. There is no significant predictive value for above scoring systems of peri‐ECV. CONCLUSIONS: PCT and LOK index can effectively predict the existence of esophageal varices and para‐esophageal veins in patients with liver cirrhosis, and can be used as an effective filling method for common gastroscopy and endoscopic ultrasonography to detect EV and ECV in liver cirrhosis.