A COMPARATIVE CLINICAL-STUDY OF IDIOPATHIC PORTAL-HYPERTENSION, EXTRAHEPATIC PORTAL-VEIN THROMBOSIS, AND CIRRHOSIS

The relationship between idiopathic portal hypertension (IPH) and extr ahepatic portal vein thrombosis (EPVT) remains controversial. In a ret rospective study, we compared the clinical features of 21 patients wit h IPH, 27 with EPVT, and 38 with liver cirrhosis (LC). The variables w ith statistical difference between IPH and EPVT were age (38 +/- 17 ye ars versus 29 +/- 14, respectively; p < 0.05), and 5-year survival (72 versus 92%, respectively; p < 0.05). The other clinical and laborator y variables had similar distribution in IPH and EPVT. LC patients were older than those in the other groups (48 +/- 13 years, p < 0.05), and had a poorer 5-year survival (60%, p < 0.05). Furthermore, LC patient s had clinical features of liver failure in a higher proportion than t he other groups did. The results suggest that IPH, EPVT, and LC are se parate clinical entities.