PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Colwill, Michael
AU  - Lake, Luke
AU  - El-Sayed, Ahmed
AU  - King, Jonathan
AU  - Kader, Rawen
AU  - Shakweh, Eathar
AU  - Caracostea, Andra
AU  - China, Louise
AU  - Maurice, James
TI  - Unlocking the benefits of the Baveno VI guidance when screening for varices: an audit of clinical practice across London
AID  - 10.7861/fhj.2021-0130
DP  - 2022 Mar 01
TA  - Future Healthcare Journal
PG  - 41--44
VI  - 9
IP  - 1
4099  - http://www.rcpjournals.org/content/9/1/41.short
4100  - http://www.rcpjournals.org/content/9/1/41.full
SO  - Future Healthc J2022 Mar 01; 9
AB  - Background The Baveno VI consensus identifies patients with compensated advanced chronic liver disease (cACLD) who can safely avoid screening endoscopy. However, concordance in clinical practice with this guidance is unknown. We audited clinical practice and the provision of transient elastography (TE) aiming to identify potential cost savings and benefits.Methods Retrospective data collection from 12 sites across London over 6 months by reviewing oesophagogastroduodenoscopy (OGD) reports, platelet count and TE results as well as information on site-specific provision of TE.Results Three-hundred and fifty-one screening procedures were identified; 177 (50.43%) had a TE test performed within the preceding 12 months; 142 (80.23%) patients with a recent TE test did not meet criteria for screening OGD. TE provision varied widely between sites.Conclusion Improving concordance with the Baveno criteria through improved provision of TE would have benefits for patients, healthcare systems and the environment and would help to address the challenges of moving on from the COVID-19 pandemic.