The epidemiology and clinical features of portal vein thrombosis: a multicentre study

• Published in: Alimentary pharmacology & therapeutics Vol. 32; no. 9; pp. 1154 - 1162
• Main Authors: Rajani, R., Björnsson, E., Bergquist, A., Danielsson, Å., Gustavsson, A., Grip, O., Melin, T., Sangfelt, P., Wallerstedt, S., Almer, S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.11.2010; Blackwell
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Biological and medical sciences; Blood and lymphatic vessels; Cardiology. Vascular system; Digestive system; Diseases of the peripheral vessels. Diseases of the vena cava. Miscellaneous; Female; Gastroenterology. Liver. Pancreas. Abdomen; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; MEDICIN; Medicin och hälsovetenskap; MEDICINE; Middle Aged; Multivariate Analysis; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Portal Vein; Prevalence; Retrospective Studies; Sweden - epidemiology; Venous Thrombosis - epidemiology; Venous Thrombosis - physiopathology; Venous Thrombosis - therapy; Young Adult; Sweden; Vascular disease; Human; Multicenter study; Clinical form; Cardiovascular disease; Venous thrombosis; Portal vein; Epidemiology; Public health; Venous disease
• ISSN: 0269-2813; 1365-2036; 1365-2036
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2036.2010.04454.x

Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2010; 32: 1154–1162 Summary Background  Reliable epidemiological data for portal vein thrombosis are lacking. Aims  To investigate the incidence, prevalence and survival rates for patients with portal vein thrombosis. Methods  Retrospective multicentre study of all patients registered with the diagnosis of portal vein thrombosis between 1995 and 2004. Results  A total of 173 patients (median age 57 years, 93 men) with portal vein thrombosis were identified and followed up for a median of 2.5 years (range 0–9.7). The mean age‐standardized incidence and prevalence rates were 0.7 per 100 000 per year and 3.7 per 100 000 inhabitants, respectively. Liver disease was present in 70 patients (40%), malignancy in 27%, thrombophilic factors in 22% and myeloproliferative disorders in 11%. Two or more risk factors were identified in 80 patients (46%). At diagnosis, 65% were put on anticoagulant therapy. Thrombolysis, TIPS, surgical shunting and liver transplantation were performed in 6, 3, 2 and 8 patients, respectively. The overall survival at 1 year and 5 years was 69% and 54%. In the absence of malignancy and cirrhosis, the survival was 92% and 76%, respectively. Conclusions  The incidence and prevalence rates of portal vein thrombosis were 0.7 per 100 000 inhabitants per year and 3.7 per 100 000 inhabitants, respectively. Concurrent prothrombotic risk factors are common. The prognosis is variable and highly dependent on underlying disease.