Our study was conducted on 90 subjects attending Air Force Hospital, in the period from 2003 to 2007; they were divided into 3 groups.Group (1) liver Cirrhosis with large oesophageal varices showing signs of impending rupture consisted of 50 patients.Group II: liver Cirrhosis without oesophageal varices consisted of 20 patients.Group (III): Healthy volunteers consisted of 20 subjects.