Fibroscan Correlation with Varices in Cirrhotic Patients

Introduction: Chronic liver disease is characterized by gradual destruction of hepatic tissue over time. The most common complication of chronic liver diseases is portal hypertension. Gastro esophageal varices, ascites, hepatic encephalopathy, hepatorenal syndrome, hepatopulmonary syndrome and hypersplenism develop as a consequence of portal hypertension. As a novel noninvasive assessment method, transient elastography has become highly useful because of its accuracy, simplicity and rapid results. In particular, transient elastography can accurately predict liver cirrhosis. Aim of Study: To correlate the liver stiffness measurement by fibroscan with presence of esophageal varices in patients of liver cirrhosis. Materials and Methods: The present descriptive observational study was carried out at department of medical gastroenterology at PGIMS, Rohtak, Haryana India during 1st November 2024 to 31st October 2025 involving 100 patients who were newly diagnosed as liver cirrhosis. Statistical analysis was carried out using SPSS 24.0 version. Results: Out of total study pool of one hundred cirrhotic patients, majority were males (70%) and belonged to 41-70 years of age group i.e. 84 % and with lesser representation from extreme of ages. Mean age of the study population was 51.16±11.62 years. There was no patient below 20 years of age. In our study, in males, alcoholic liver disease (37.14%) was the main aetiological factor for causing cirrhosis, followed by HCV (28.57%), HBV (21.42%) and MASH related CLD (12.85%) was least common. In contrast, in females, MASH related CLD (60%) was most common, followed by HCV, HBV and none was in alcohol related CLD group. The maximum number of patients (34%) were having fibroscan score between 21-30 Kpa, followed by 31-40 Kpa, then 41-50 Kpa, with lesser representation having readings at extremity. As a general trend, it was appreciated that, as Fibroscan score increased, chances of prescence of varices and of higher-grade varices increased. At lower fibroscan score between 12-30, many patients had no varices or just beginning of formation of varices, as evidenced by early portal hypertension findings. All patients with Fibroscan score of 16 Kpa or below had normal endoscopy. Conclusion: Fibroscan is a non-invasive method which can predict prescence of esophageal varices in cirrhotic patients. It cannot tell with exact accuracy with exact grade of varices but it can predict with good accuracy that high grade esophageal varices are present or not. In males, ALD is most common etiology for CLD whereas MASH is most common in females. ALD patients develop oesophageal varices at lower fibroscan scores and moreover, they are more aggressive. This predicts that chances of bleeding oesophageal varices are more in ALD, thereby increasing morbidity and mortality. Keywords: Liver stiffness, fibroscan, Alcohol, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, MASLD, esophageal varices, liver cirrhosis