Publication Name	World Journal of Hepatology
Manuscript ID	118038
Country	India

Category	Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Manuscript Type	Meta-Analysis
Article Title	Diagnostic accuracy of blood-based non-invasive tests for prediction of varices in pediatric portal-hypertension: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Manuscript Source	Invited Manuscript
All Author List	Kalpana Panda, Devi P Dash, Girish K Pati, Arjun Maria and Vipul Gautam
Funding Agency and Grant Number
Corresponding Author	Kalpana Panda, Associate Professor, Department Pediatric Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Institute of Medical Sciences and SUM Hospital, Kalinga Nagar, Bhubaneshwar 751003, Odisha, India. drkalpanapanda@gmail.com
Key Words	Pediatric; Portal hypertension; Platelet count; Aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio index; Liver cirrhosis; Varices; Clinically significant varices; Non-invasive tests
Core Tip	Blood-based non-invasive tests offer a pragmatic approach for risk stratification of varices in children with portal hypertension. This meta-analysis reveals that commonly used indices, such as aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index, platelet count, demonstrate moderate diagnostic accuracy and may help identify children at lower risk who could safely defer immediate endoscopic surveillance. Their advantages include wide availability, low cost, and ease of repeat testing, making them particularly relevant in resource-limited settings. However, substantial heterogeneity, variability in applied cut-off thresholds, and low-to-moderate certainty of evidence limit their reliability as standalone tools. Prospective pediatric studies with standardised and aetiology-specific cut-offs are essential before implementing routine guidelines.
Citation	Panda K, Dash DP, Pati GK, Maria A, Gautam V. Diagnostic accuracy of blood-based non-invasive tests for prediction of varices in pediatric portal-hypertension: A systematic review and meta-analysis. World J Hepatol 2026; In press

Received	2025-12-25 01:25
Peer-Review Started	2025-12-25 01:26
First Decision by Editorial Office Director	2026-01-06 09:06
Return for Revision	2026-01-06 09:06
Revised	2026-01-08 19:58
Publication Fee Transferred
Second Decision by Editor	2026-02-05 02:37
Second Decision by Editor-in-Chief
Final Decision by Editorial Office Director	2026-02-05 07:18
Articles in Press	2026-02-05 07:18
Edit the Manuscript by Language Editor
Typeset the Manuscript

ISSN	1948-5182 (online)
Open Access	This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
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