Celiac disease as a potential cause of idiopathic portal hypertension: a case report.
BACKGROUND
Idiopathic portal hypertension is a disorder of unknown etiology, clinically characterized by portal hypertension, splenomegaly and anemia secondary to hypersplenism.


METHODS
A 54-year-old man was admitted to our hospital for evaluation of malaise, weight loss, abdominal swelling and lower limb edema. His paraclinical tests revealed pancytopenia, large ascites, splenomegaly and esophageal varices consistent with portal hypertension. Duodenal biopsy and serologic findings were compatible with celiac disease. His symptoms improved on a gluten-free diet, but his clinical course was further complicated with ulcerative jejunoileitis, and intestinal T-cell lymphoma.


CONCLUSIONS
It seems that celiac disease, by an increased immune reaction in the splenoportal axis, can result in the development of idiopathic portal hypertension in susceptible affected patients.
Zamani
Farhad
F
Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease Research Center, Firouzgar Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. amiri.afsaneh@yahoo.com.
Amiri
Afsaneh
A
Shakeri
Ramin
R
Zare
Ali
A
Mohamadnejad
Mehdi
M