Budd-Chiari syndrome: a single-center experience.

Area of Science:

• Hepatology
• Vascular Medicine
• Internal Medicine

Background:

• Budd-Chiari syndrome (BCS) is a rare condition characterized by hepatic vein thrombosis.
• Understanding its challenges, risk factors, and prognostic indicators is crucial for patient management.
• Tertiary care centers play a vital role in managing complex cases of BCS.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the challenges, risk factors, and prognostic indicators associated with Budd-Chiari syndrome (BCS).
• To evaluate treatment outcomes for patients diagnosed with BCS at a tertiary care center.
• To identify predictors of liver transplant (LT) or death in BCS patients.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective cohort study of 47 patients diagnosed with BCS or hepatic vein thrombosis.
• Data collected from electronic medical records at the University of Pennsylvania (2008-2013).
• Logistic regression analysis used to identify predictors of liver transplant (LT) or death.

Main Results:

• The study identified 47 BCS patients, with a median age of 42.4 years; 66% were women.
• Common comorbidities included ascites (91.5%), hypercoagulable states (57.4%), and cirrhosis (55.3%).
• Age, cirrhosis, and chronic kidney disease (CKD) were significant predictors of LT or death.

Conclusions:

• Anticoagulation (AC) alone and transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) with AC were common treatments.
• No significant differences in treatment outcomes were observed between therapeutic interventions.
• Age, cirrhosis, and CKD are significant predictors of poor prognosis in Budd-Chiari syndrome.