Clinical outcomes and prognostic factors in non-cirrhotic non-neoplastic patients with portal vein thrombosis: A single-centre experience

Introduction: The knowledge of natural history and prognostic factors of portal vein thrombosis (PVT) is still based on a limited number of studies.

Aim: To describe our single-center experience with 79 consecutive non-neoplastic non-cirrhotic patients with PVT (15 recent/64 chronic PVT).

Results: Among patients with recent PVT, 7 received anticoagulation alone, 4 systemic thrombolysis, 3 direct thrombolysis through a TIPS and 1 TIPS alone. Portal recanalization was achieved in 11 patients. In patients with chronic PVT, the rate of variceal progression was high (20% at one year and 50% at two years). The thrombotic involvement of splenic and superior mesenteric veins was the only risk factor for variceal enlargement. The cumulative bleeding rates were 10% at one year and 20% at two years. A multisegmental thrombosis and large varices at entry and a previous variceal bleeding were the independent predictors for variceal bleeding. The cumulative rate of new thrombotic events was 14% at one year and 18% at two years. Eight patients died, 2 because of thrombotic events. There were no bleeding-related deaths. Two-year cumulative survival rate was 90%.

Conclusions: Our study supports the importance of anticoagulation especially when a more extended thrombosis is present. Moreover, in patients with chronic PVT, the timing of follow-up endoscopy should be based on the extension of thrombosis and not, as in cirrhosis, on the size of varices at first endoscopy.