Portal vein thrombosis: prevalence, patient characteristics and lifetime risk: a population study based on 23,796 consecutive autopsies

• AIM: To assess the lifetime cumulative incidence of portal venous thrombosis (PVT) in the general population. METHODS: Between 1970 and 1982, 23,796 autopsies, representing 84% of all in-hospital deaths in the Malmo city population, were performed, using a standardised protocol including examination of the portal vein. PVT patients were characterised and the PVT prevalence at autopsy, an expression of life-time cumulative incidence, assessed in high-risk disease categories and expressed in terms of odds ratios and 95% CI. RESULTS: The population prevalence of PVT was 1.0%. Of the 254 patients with PVT 28% had cirrhosis, 23% primary and 44% secondary hepatobiliary malignancy, 10% major abdominal infectious or inflammatory disease and 3% had a myeloproliferative disorder. Patients with both cirrhosis and hepatic carcinoma had the highest PVT risk, OR 17.1 (95% CI 11.1-26.4). In 14% no cause was found; only a minority of them had developed portal-hypertension-related complications. CONCLUSION: In this population-based study, PVT was found to be more common than indicated by previous clinical series. The markedly excess risk in cirrhosis and hepatic carcinoma should warrant an increased awareness in these patients for whom prospective studies of directed intervention might be considered.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Gastroenterologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Gastroenterology and Hepatology (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Adult

Aged

Aged

80 and over

Autopsy

Female

Humans

Hypertension

Portal/complications

Liver Cirrhosis/complications

Male

Middle Aged

*Portal Vein

Prevalence

Venous Thrombosis/complications/*epidemiology/etiology

portal hypertension

epidemiology

venous thrombosis

gastrointestinal cancer

cirrhosis

epidemiology

MEDICINE

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