[Esophageal varices as a cause of upper digestive hemorrhage in cirrhotic patients: clinical and epidemiologic investigation].

We studied the association between esophageal varices as the course of upper gastrointestinal bleeding and hepatic cirrhosis. 154 patients were admitted 43 patients in which esophageal varices bleeding was diagnosed were considered "CASES". 111 patients in which the source of bleeding was different (peptic ulcer, duodenitis, gastritis or tumor) were considered "CONTROL". The diagnosis of hepatic cirrhosis was confirmed in 69 patients in this group the main cause of bleeding was varices (62%). The "CASES" and "CONTROL" were crossed in 2 x 2 tables with the cirrhosis variable. Hepatic cirrhosis showed statistic and epidemiological association with variceal bleeding by means of CHi Square (p less .005) and Odds ratio about 138.92 with 95% confidence interval about 18.92 to 2844.8. In the control group this associations was not proved.