Potential Role of Gall Bladder Wall Thickness as a Non-Invasive Screening Parameter for Detecting Esophageal Varices

Background: Liver cirrhosis is defined by fibrosis and inflammation. It may occur because of portal hypertension, prolonged alcohol consumption, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), chronic hepatitis B and C (HBV and HCV), and many autoimmune disorders. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate whether non-inflammatory gallbladder wall thickness predicts esophageal varices (EV), both independently and in conjunction with other non-invasive clinical and laboratory indicators Subjects and methods: This case-control study included a total of 90 adult cirrhotic patients, attending the Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Ain Shams University Hospitals. This study was conducted over one year between January 2022 to January 2023. Result:Subjects with esophageal varices had a statistically significant greater incidence of clinical signs, whether gastrointestinal or systemic, compared to those without varices. 37.78% of individuals with cirrhosis lacking esophageal varices exhibit a normal clinical examination. Conclusion: It could be concluded that assessing the thickness of the gallbladder wall is an effective method for detecting EV in individuals with liver cirrhosis. We identified a significant correlation between the two in individuals with hepatic cirrhosis who also presented with esophageal varices. Gallbladder wall thickening (GBWT) enhances the non-invasive evaluation of liver disease patients to determine the risk of esophageal varices (EV) existence.