Observational studyBMC gastroenterology2026
Albumin-to-creatinine ratio as non-invasive marker for prediction of non- bleeding esophageal varices. a cross-sectional observational study.
Observational study in BMC gastroenterology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
13 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND
aimsEsophageal varices (EV) are a frequent complication of liver cirrhosis and a leading cause of gastrointestinal bleeding and mortality. While upper gastrointestinal endoscopy is the preferred method for detecting EV, it may not be feasible in all settings. Non-invasive biomarkers could assist in identifying high-risk patients who should undergo prompt endoscopic evaluation. This study assessed the accuracy of the albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR) as a non-invasive predictor of EV in individuals with liver cirrhosis.
methodsThis cross-sectional observational study included 260 adult patients with liver cirrhosis who had not undergone endoscopic screening before. All patients underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy to screen for esophageal varices (EV). Demographic, clinical, and laboratory data were collected, and the albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR) was calculated from serum albumin and creatinine levels. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify independent predictors of EV. The diagnostic performance of ACR was assessed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis.
resultsOut of the 260 patients, 162 (62.3%) had EV. Patients with EV had significantly lower levels of ACR, serum albumin, platelet count, and hemoglobin, and higher levels of creatinine, bilirubin, INR, and MELD score compared to those without esophageal varices (all p < 0.05). Logistic regression analysis revealed a significant inverse relationship between ACR and the presence of EV. lower ACR independently predicted the presence of EV (adjusted OR 0.53, 95% CI 0.41-0.68; p = 0.001). ROC analysis demonstrated that an ACR cutoff ≤ 3.12 predicted EV with 88% sensitivity, 55% specificity, and an area under the curve of 0.683 (p < 0.001).
conclusionThe ACR ratio is a cost-effective biomarker that can assist in identifying cirrhotic patients at higher risk of EV, aiding in the prioritization of endoscopic screening, especially in settings with limited resources.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.