Interest serum-ascites albumin concentration gradient in the diagnosis of esophageal varices in cirrhotic African, Abidjan (Cote d'Ivoire)

Aims: To determine the correlation between the concentration Serum Ascites Albumin Gradient (SAAG) and the prediction of esophageal varices (VO) and other parameters of portal hypertension (PHT), namely red signs grades varicose veins, varicose veins and cardio tuberosity, the gastropathie portal hypertension among African blacks cirrhotic Ivory Coast. Patients and Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study of 113 medical records of patients with ascites associated with PH. The gastroscopy to search for signs of HTP. The protein assay in serum and ascitic fluid produced by standard chemical methods. The sensitivity and specificity obtained by the area under the ROC curve (Receiver-Operating-Characteristic). Results: 1.1 g/dl, the SAAG predicted VO with a sensitivity (53.3%), specificity (80%) for low diagnostic accuracy (64%). From 1.5 g/dl of SAAG, specificity was highest (100%) but fell 40% false-negative. For a threshold value of -1.240 g/dl, the diagnostic performance of SAAG was better with a sensitivity (96%), specificity (55%) for a diagnostic accuracy of 84%. Conclusion: The threshold value of SAAG effective for the detection of VO was lower among African because of frequent nutritional and infectious factors in these low-income countries.