Gastrointestinal varices epidemiology and demographics

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]