Predictive parameters of portal hypertension in liver cirrhosis

SUMMARYThere are common complications of liver cirrhosis that effects on mortality andmorbidity. Major complications of cirrhosis are portal hypertension, esophageal varices andvariceal haemorrhage, splenomegaly, ascites and spontaneous bacterial peritonitis. Earlydiagnosis and adequate treatment of PHT and related complications, can improve patient?ssurvival. The aim of this study is to evaluate clinical, laboratory and ultrasonographicpredictors of PHT in cirrhotic patients.In this retrospective analysis, a total of 330 cirrhotic (125 women, 205 men) patientwhom was diagnosed via liver biopsy and/or clinical and laboratory findings were enrolledinto the study. Mean age of patients was 53,2±15,2 (range 18-91). The following parameterswere evaluated for all patients; platelet count, prothrombin time and INR, bilirubin levels, sizeof spleen, splenic and portal vein diameter, ascites, serum-ascite albumin gradient, Child-Turcotte-Pugh score and esophageal varices. According to Child-Turcotte-Pugh class was asfollows A, %40,9; B, %33,3; C, %25,8. There were 225 (%68,2) patients with esophagealvarices as determined by endoscopy and 119 patients with ascites.Spleen size and esophageal varice degree were statistically significant, but thecorrelation rate was low ( ANOVA test p<0,005, Spearman test r=0,3). We identified anassociation among thrombocytopenia and presence of high-grade varices, but the correlationrate was low (0,18).Splenomegaly, thrombocytopenia, ascites and Child-Turcotte-Pugh score aresignificant risk factors for large esophageal varices and PHT, however it is unlikely that thesefeatures could not be used to exclude PHT as direct predictors alone.Key words: Cirrhosis, Portal hypertension, Esophageal varices36