Gastrointestinal varices epidemiology and demographics

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief:

Gastroesophageal varices are present in approximately 50,000 per 100,000 patients with cirrhosis, depending upon the clinical stage of the disease. The annual incidence of gastrointestinal varices ranges from a low of 7,000 per 100,000 individuals to a high of 8,000 per 100,000 individuals. Variceal hemorrhage occurs at a rate of around 10%-15% per year and depends on the severity of liver disease, size of varices, and presence of red wale marks (areas of thinning of the variceal wall).

• Gastroesophageal varices are present in approximately 50,000 per 100,000 patients with cirrhosis, depending upon the clinical stage of the disease^[1]
• In patients with compensated cirrhosis, gastroesophageal varices are present in 30,000 – 40,000 patients per 100,000 patients, whereas they can be present in up to 85,000 per 100,000 patients with decompensated cirrhosis^[2]

• The annual incidence of gastrointestinal varices ranges from a low of 7,000 per 100,000 individuals to a high of 8,000 per 100,000 individuals^[3]
• Progression from small varices to large varices occurs at a rate of 10%- 12% annually^[4]
• Variceal hemorrhage occurs at a rate of around 10%-15% per year and depends on the severity of liver disease, size of varices, and presence of red wale marks (areas of thinning of the variceal wall)^[5][6]

• African Americans are significantly more likely to be older than Caucasians or Hispanics, when patients with cirrhosis are studied^[7]
• White patients have equal proportions of cirrhotics in the younger and older age groups^[8]

• Hispanic and White patients were more likely to have cirrhosis due to alcohol than African American patients^[9]
• The prevalence of HCV appears to be the greatest in African American patients, compared to all other ethnic groups in the United States^[10]