title: Prevalence and outcome of portal thrombosis in a cohort of cirrhotic patients undergoing liver transplantation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The prevalence of portal vein thrombosis (PVT) in patients that have undergone liver transplantation (LT) is 9.7% (SD 4.5). The aim of our study was to determine the prevalence, assess the factors that are associated with PVT and clarify their association with prognosis in patients with liver cirrhosis (LC) and LT.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  From 2005 to 2014, laboratory, radiological and surgical data were collected from patients with LC in our center who had undergone LT for the first time.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred and ninety-one patients were included. The mean age was 55 (SD 9), 75.4% of patients were male and 48.7% had HCV. The Child-Pugh scores were A/B/C 41.9%/35.9%/25.5% and the MELD score was 15 (SD 6). Previous decompensations were: ascites (61.4%), hepatic encephalopathy (34.4%), variceal bleeding (25.4%), hepatocellular carcinoma (48.9%) and spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SPB) (14.3%). The mean post-transplant follow-up was 42 months (0-113). PVT was diagnosed at LT in 18 patients (9.4%). Six patients were previously diagnosed using imaging tests (33.3%): 2 patients (11.1%) by DU and 4 patients (22.2%) by CT scan. All patients with PVT had DU in a mean time of 6 months before LT (0-44) and 90 patients (47.1%) had a CT scan in a median time of 6 months before LT (0-45). PVT was significantly related to the presence of SBP (33.3% vs 12.6%; p = 0.02) and lower levels of albumin (3.1g/dl vs 3.4g/dl; p = 0.05). MELD was higher in patients with PVT (16.6 vs 14.9; p = 0.3). There were no significant differences with regard to the need for transfusion of blood components. Moreover, the surgery time was similar in both groups. PVT correlated with a higher mortality in the first 30 days (8.8% vs 16.7%; p = 0.2).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Prior history of SBP and lower levels of albumin were identified as factors associated with PVT. The pre-transplant diagnosis rate is very low and the presence of PVT may have implications for short-term mortality.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro Majadahonda, Spain.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hernández Conde
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology,Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro Majadahonda.
authors.forename: Elba
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Llop Herrera
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro Majadahonda.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: de la Revilla Negro
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro Majadahonda.
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pons Renedo
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro Majadahonda.
authors.forename: Natalia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fernández Puga
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro Majadahonda.
authors.forename: José Luis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Martínez Porras
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro Majadahonda.
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Trapero Marugan
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro Majadahonda.
authors.forename: Valentín
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Cuervas-Mons
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro Majadahonda.
authors.forename: Víctor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sánchez Turrión
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Universitario Puerta de Hierro Majadahonda, España.
authors.forename: José Luis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Calleja Panero
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery*; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011169:Portal Vein; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D020246:Venous Thrombosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D055815:Young Adult