title: [Endoscopic findings and clinical significance of portal hypertensive colopathy].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The endoscopic findings and clinical relevance of portal hypertensive colopathy are not well described in Korea. We aimed to do a retrospective study of mucosal changes in the colon of patients with liver cirrhosis and to find their association with clinical characteristics.
  
  
  METHODS
  We reviewed the clinical data and endoscopic findings of 48 patients with liver cirrhosis and 48 patients, matched for age and sex, with irritable bowel disease (IBS) who underwent colonoscopy over a 5 year span.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with liver cirrhosis were more likely to have colitis-like lesions and vascular abnormalities than IBS patients. Low platelet count (p=0.005) and severe esophageal varices (p=0.011) were associated with portal hypertensive colopathy, whereas the etiologies and severity of cirrhosis were not associated with these findings.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Portal hypertensive colopathy can be defined with colitis-like lesions or vascular lesions. These lesions are more frequently present in patients with more severe esophageal varices and thrombocytopenia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Konyang University College of Medicine, Daejeon, Korea.
authors.forename: In Beom
authors.initials: IB
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.forename: Tae Hee
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Seong Min
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: Ki Hyun
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Ryu
authors.forename: Yong Seok
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sun Moon
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Euyi Hyeog
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Im
authors.forename: Kyu Chan
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Huh
authors.forename: Young Woo
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Young Woo
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Kang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003113:Colonoscopy; D004932:Esophageal and Gastric Varices / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006975:Hypertension, Portal / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000473:pathology; D043183:Irritable Bowel Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010976:Platelet Count; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000209:etiology