Serum type IV collagen level is predictive for esophageal varices in patients with severe alcoholic disease

Table 1 Characteristics of the study population (n = 44)

Esophageal varice	Yes (n = 25)	No (n = 19)	P value
Age (yr)	49.6 ± 7.0	55.5 ± 9.2	< 0.05
Sex (male/female)	20/5	15/4	NS
Total alcohol intake (kg)	1075.9 ± 646.9	1018.4 ± 684.9	NS
MCV (fL)	97.7 ± 12.4	95.9 ± 12.0	NS
Plt (/&mgr;L)	12.6 ± 6.1	13.9 ± 9.8	NS
PT (%)	62.6 ± 16.2	69.3 ± 18.8	NS
AST (IU/L)	80.9 ± 72.6	96.1 ± 85.1	NS
ALT (IU/L)	44.4 ± 2.6	45.2 ± 28.5	NS
GTP (IU/L)	453.6 ± 594	410.2 ± 374.3	NS
T -Bil (mg/dL)	2.7 ± 3.2	2.4 ± 1.9	NS
Alb (g/dL)	3.7 ± 0.6	3.9 ± 0.5	NS
Collagen type IV (ng/mL)	712.3 ± 355.6	404.3 ± 198	< 0.001
Ascites (yes/no)	6/19	2/17	NS
Encephalopathy (yes/no)	1/24	2/17	NS

NS: Not significant; Normal ranges: MCV (mean corpuscular volume), 85-102/fL; Plt (platelet count), 14-34 × 10³/&mgr;L; PT (prothrombin index), 70%-100%; AST(aspartate aminotransferase), 10-40 IU/L; ALT(alanine aminotransferase), 5-45 IU/L; GTP (gamma glutamyl transpeptidase), male < 80 IU/L, female < 30 IU/L; T-Bil (total bilirubin), 0.2-1.1 mg/dL; Alb (albumin), 3.8-5.3 g/dL; collagen type IV, < 150 ng/mL.

Table 2 An independent factor for the presence of esophageal varices (odds ratio)

Variable	Odds ratio	95% CI	P value
Collagen type IV	2.02	1.13-3.60	0.017

Data: Collagen type IV per 150 ng/mL.