Prediction of Severe Esophageal Varices in Patients With Cirrhosis Based on Levitt's CO Breath Test: A Proof of Concept Study.

Goals: This study investigated the feasibility of using erythrocyte (RBC) lifespan determined by Levitt's CO breath test (LCOBT) to predict esophageal varices needing treatment (VNT) in patients with cirrhosis.

Background: Esophageal varix bleeding is a common fatal complication of cirrhosis and portal hypertension. The gold standard for identifying VNT is esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD), an invasive procedure with low patient compliance.