الفهرس 
INTRODUCTIONOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
Cirrhosis is a diffuse process characterized by fibrosis and the conversion of normal liver architecture into structurally abnormal nodules.It results from different mechanisms of liver injury that lead to necroinflammation and fibrogenesis.Portal hypertension is defined by a raised portal pressure above the normal values of 1–5 mm Hg; clinically significant portal hypertension is defined above the threshold of 12 mm Hg due to the potential development of variceal bleeding. Upper gastrointestinal bleeding is a common life threatening condition in which mortality rate is from 4 to 15%. Development and growth of gastro-oesophageal varices occur at a rate of 7% per year. The 1-year rate of a first variceal haemorrhage is approximately 12% (5% for small varices and 15% for large varices).Endoscopic examination is considered an invasive procedure. It would be impossible to perform endoscopic examinations at regular interval for all patients with chronic liver disease and it may be more cost-effective to routinely screen only cirrhotic patients at high risk for the presence of varices.Several studies have evaluated possible non-invasive markers for the predicting either the presence of varices or large varices in patients with cirrhosis.Serotonin or 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) is a monoamine neurotransmitter, biochemically derived from tryptophan.Serotonin is primarily located in the enterochromaffin cells of the intestine, the serotoninergic neurons of the brain, and platelets of the blood. 5HT is well-established as a neurotransmitter in the central nervous system, but it also plays diverse roles in the cardiovascular system, including platelet aggregation and regulation of vascular tone.The aim of our study was to determine to what extent a free serotonin concentration in serum can predict the presence of oesphageal and gastric varices.