title: Relationship between the hepatic venous pressure gradient and first variceal hemorrhage in patients with cirrhosis: a multicenter retrospective study in Korea.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Variceal hemorrhage is one of the major complications of cirrhosis and is associated with significant mortality and morbidity. The development of gastroesophageal varices and variceal hemorrhage is the most direct consequence of portal hypertension. Correlations between the hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG) and first variceal hemorrhage were examined.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with cirrhosis who underwent HVPG measurement between July 2009 and September 2010 were enrolled (n=535). All patients underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy to enable the evaluation of gastroesophageal varices.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The HVPG for all patients was 16.46±7.05 mmHg (mean±SD), and was significantly higher among those with first variceal hemorrhage than in those without it. The HVPG was significantly correlated with both Child-Turcotte-Pugh (r=0.488, P<0.001) and Model for End-stage Liver Disease (r=0.478, P<0.001) scores. An HVPG value of 11 mmHg was predictive of first variceal hemorrhage with a sensitivity of 92.4% and a specificity of 27.7%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The HVPG was higher in patients with first variceal hemorrhage than in those without it.
authors: Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Soonchunhyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Jin Nyoung
authors: JN
authors: Kim
authors: Kyoung Min
authors: KM
authors: Sohn
authors: Moon Young
authors: MY
authors: Kim
authors: Ki Tae
authors: KT
authors: Suk
authors: Soung Won
authors: SW
authors: Jeong
authors: Ho Eun
authors: HE
authors: Jung
authors: Sae Hwan
authors: SH
authors: Lee
authors: Sang Gyune
authors: SG
authors: Kim
authors: Jae Young
authors: JY
authors: Jang
authors: Young Seok
authors: YS
authors: Kim
authors: Soon Koo
authors: SK
authors: Baik
authors: Hong Soo
authors: HS
authors: Kim
authors: Dong Joon
authors: DJ
authors: Kim
authors: Boo Sung
authors: BS
authors: Kim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D057785:Catheters; D004932:Esophageal and Gastric Varices / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D056910:Republic of Korea; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014690:Venous Pressure
keywords: Hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG); Variceal hemorrhage