BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Due to the invasiveness of @entity344 , non-invasive diagnostic tests for varices in @entity1575 have been widely established by numerous studies. A questionnaire survey, which was aimed at understanding the current knowledge about non-invasive diagnostic tests for varices in @entity1575 , was distributed among the members of Gastroenterology Branch of the Liaoning Medical Association. METHODS: A questionnaire assessing the knowledge about non-invasive diagnostic tests for varices was sent to 42 members who participated in the entire ninth committee. They were from 33 hospitals in 13 cities of Liaoning Province, China. RESULTS: Overall, 97.6% (41/42) of @entity1 responded to the questionnaire. A majority of @entity1 were chief physicians (85.4%), had >20 years of experience in clinical work of digestive diseases (80.5%) and worked at tertiary hospitals (97.6%). In 46.3% of @entity1 ' departments, there were >200 @entity1 with @entity1575 and @entity6312 admitted every year. In 90.2% of @entity1 ' departments, @entity344 was regularly employed for the diagnosis of @entity6312 . Only six (15%) @entity1 often used non-invasive diagnostic tests for varices in clinical practice. Thirty (75%) @entity1 knew at least one non-invasive diagnostic test for varices. The knowledge of at least one non-invasive diagnostic test was significantly associated with the number of cirrhotic @entity1 with varices (P   =   0.038) or the regular use of @entity344 to diagnose varices (P   =   0.022). CONCLUSIONS: This questionnaire survey suggested that non-invasive diagnostic tests for varices in @entity1575 were rarely or never used in clinical practices in Liaoning Province, China. Reliable, non-invasive indexes should be further explored in a well-designed multi-center observational study.

Knowledge about non-invasive diagnostic tests for varices in XXXX : A questionnaire survey to the Gastroenterology Branch of the Liaoning Medical Association, China.

@entity1575 :: ('MESH:D008103', 'Disease') :: ['liver cirrhosis'] @entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['participants', 'patients'] @entity6312 :: ('MESH:D014648', 'Disease') :: ['gastroesophageal varices'] @entity344 :: ('MESH:D005767', 'Disease') :: ['gastrointestinal endoscopy', 'upper gastrointestinal endoscopy']
@entity1575 :: (MESH:D008103,Disease) :: ['liver cirrhosis']
