Frequency of Causes of Portal Hypertension in Children

Kumar Sooraj1, Fnu Shivani2, Mahnoor Hassan Khan1

  • 1Internal Medicine, Jinnah Sindh Medical University, Karachi, PAK.

Cureus
|July 18, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Portal vein thrombosis (PVT) is the leading cause of pediatric portal hypertension (PH). Children over eight years old are more frequently affected by PVT, highlighting the need for early diagnosis and management.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Gastroenterology
  • Hepatology
  • Vascular Medicine

Background:

  • Portal hypertension (PH) in children often stems from presinusoidal or sinusoidal obstruction.
  • Extrahepatic causes like portal vein thrombosis (PVT) and biliary atresia are common.
  • Understanding pediatric PH etiologies is crucial for effective management.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify the spectrum of etiologies for pediatric portal hypertension (PH).
  • To determine the most frequent cause of PH in children.
  • To identify the age group most commonly affected by PH.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional study was conducted from January 2018 to December 2020 in Pakistani tertiary care hospitals.
  • One hundred pediatric patients (1 month to 15 years) diagnosed with PH were enrolled.
  • Data analysis utilized SPSS version 20.

Main Results:

  • The mean age of participants was 9.01 ± 2.81 years.
  • Portal vein thrombosis (PVT) was the most common cause of PH (63%).
  • Liver cirrhosis (19%) and biliary atresia (18%) were also significant causes. Age over eight years showed a significant association with PVT (p=0.007).

Conclusions:

  • Pediatric portal hypertension presents with diverse etiologies.
  • PVT is the predominant cause of PH in the pediatric population studied.
  • Identifying underlying causes of PH is essential for optimal patient outcomes and management strategies.

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