Severity of thrombocytopenia with different grades of esophageal varices in chronic liver disease patients undergoing gastroscopy’s in a Tertiary Care Hospital.

Objectives: To correlate severity of thrombocytopenia with different grades of esophageal varices in chronic liver disease patients undergoing EGD in a tertiary care hospital. Study Design: Cross sectional study. Setting: Gastroenterology & Hepatology Department at Liaquat National. Period: Six months from Jan to June 2016. Material and Methods: Seventy six subjects of chronic liver disease were recruited and studied for correlation between platelet count and esophageal varices by gastroscopy while the data was analyzed in SPSS version 17. Period: From July 2016 to Dec 2016. Results: There were 55 (72.4%) males and 21 (27.6%) females. The mean age was 45.6 ± 14.7 years. 10 (13.2%) had Hepatitis B, 58 (76.3%) Hepatitis C, 01 (1.3%) Wilson’s disease, 03 (3.9%) Autoimmune disease and 04 (5.3%) Alcoholic liver disease. 09 (11.8%) had Child-Pugh Class A, 41 (53.9%) Class B and 26 (34.2%) had Class C. The mean platelet count was 85/µl ± 40.2/µl. Out of 76 patients 70 (92.1%) had esophageal varices. 23 (30.3%) had grade III varices, 19 (25%) had grade II, 14 (18.4%) each had grade I & IV and 06 (7.9%) had grade 0 varices. Conclusion: thrombocytopenia can predict the occurrence of esophageal varices in cirrhotic population while gastroscopy has high yield for varices.