The presence of high‐risk varices after sclerotherapy in biliary atresia

Background Esophagogastric varices (EGVs) may develop as a result of portal hypertension in children with biliary atresia (BA). Although endoscopic injection sclerotherapy (EIS) with ethanolamine oleate (EO) is reported useful for children, risk factors associated with the presence of high‐risk EGVs after treatment remain unknown. Methods The subjects were BA patients under 15 years of age who underwent EO‐EIS. We retrospectively reviewed a total of 28 treatment sessions of EGVs with red signs and those larger than F2, which were considered to be at high risk of bleeding. Survival analysis was performed for the presence of high‐risk EGVs at the time of follow‐up endoscopy as the occurrence of an event. Results Univariate analysis showed a significantly increased risk of the presence of high‐risk EGVs post‐EO‐EIS in patients with increased liver stiffness (LS) and Mac‐2 binding protein glycan isomer (M2BPGi), with hazard ratios of 1.48 and 1.15, respectively. The median presence‐free period was significantly shorter in the LS ≥ 2.8 m/s patients than in those with LS