Knowledge about non-invasive diagnostic tests for varices in liver cirrhosis: A questionnaire survey to the Gastroenterology Branch of the Liaoning Medical Association, China

Xingshun Qi, Xiaozhong Guo, Hongyu Li, Xu Liu, Han Deng, Xingshun Qi, Xiaozhong Guo, Hongyu Li, Xu Liu, Han Deng

Abstract

Background and aims: Due to the invasiveness of upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, non-invasive diagnostic tests for varices in liver cirrhosis have been widely established by numerous studies. A questionnaire survey, which was aimed at understanding the current knowledge about non-invasive diagnostic tests for varices in liver cirrhosis, was distributed among the members of Gastroenterology Branch of the Liaoning Medical Association.

Methods: A questionnaire assessing the knowledge about non-invasive diagnostic tests for varices was sent to 42 members who participated in the entire ninth committee. They were from 33 hospitals in 13 cities of Liaoning Province, China.

Results: Overall, 97.6% (41/42) of participants responded to the questionnaire. A majority of participants were chief physicians (85.4%), had >20 years of experience in clinical work of digestive diseases (80.5%) and worked at tertiary hospitals (97.6%). In 46.3% of participants' departments, there were >200 patients with liver cirrhosis and gastroesophageal varices admitted every year. In 90.2% of participants' departments, upper gastrointestinal endoscopy was regularly employed for the diagnosis of gastroesophageal varices. Only six (15%) participants often used non-invasive diagnostic tests for varices in clinical practice. Thirty (75%) participants knew at least one non-invasive diagnostic test for varices. The knowledge of at least one non-invasive diagnostic test was significantly associated with the number of cirrhotic patients with varices (P = 0.038) or the regular use of gastrointestinal endoscopy to diagnose varices (P = 0.022).

Conclusions: This questionnaire survey suggested that non-invasive diagnostic tests for varices in liver cirrhosis were rarely or never used in clinical practices in Liaoning Province, China. Reliable, non-invasive indexes should be further explored in a well-designed multi-center observational study.

Keywords: liver cirrhosis; non-invasive diagnostic tests; portal hypertension; questionnaire survey; varices.

© The Author(s) 2015. Published by Oxford University Press and the Digestive Science Publishing Co. Limited.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Map of Liaoning Province with 14 cities. Note: The number of members from different cities who participated in the questionnaire survey is recorded in parentheses. Asterisk represents a major medical university or college in different cities.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Knowledge about the non-invasive diagnostic tests of varices according to the participant’s familiarity.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Knowledge about the non-invasive diagnostic tests of varices according to the number of non-invasive methods that the participant knew.
Figure 4.
Figure 4.
Factors associated with the proportion of participants who knew at least one non-invasive diagnostic test of varices.

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