Portal hypertensive gastropathy as a factor of anemia in patients with cirrhosis

Abstract

The authors provided information on portal hypertensive gastropathy and actual anemia in 58 patients with liver cirrhosis and sinusoidal portal hypertension. The first group (35) consisted of patients who had esophageal varices, PHG, and anemia, the second group (28) patients with varicose veins of the gastric varices, PHG and anemia. Endoscopic examination revealed the effects of PHG in patients in the first and second groups, which manifested as red and black spotting of the gastric mucosa with erosive defects. According to the Baveno scoring system for endoscopic appearance, severe manifestations of PHG in the first group occurred in 77% of patients and 13% in second. In patients with cirrhosis and portal hypertension without signs of acute bleeding anemia can be caused by PHG, which may be complicated by bleeding and/or development of pernicious anemia.