Evaluation of the blood ammonia level as a non-invasive predictor for the presence of esophageal varices and the risk of bleeding.

CONCLUSION: An increased blood ammonia level and splenic vein diameter are predictors for the presence of EV and bleeding risk factors. The blood ammonia level may be clinically useful as it correlates with and is an independent predictor for both the endoscopic risk signs and risk factors of bleeding, and therefore, it could be used in patients with cirrhosis to decrease the number of screening endoscopies they are subjected to. PMID: 30465524 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Source: The Turkish Journal of Gastroenterology - Category: Gastroenterology Authors: Tags: Turk J Gastroenterol Source Type: research