Safety and efficacy of anticoagulation therapy with low molecular weight heparin for portal vein thrombosis in patients with liver cirrhosis.

BACKGROUND: Treatment of portal vein thrombosis (PVT) in patients with liver cirrhosis is not well established.

AIM: We intended to assess the safety and efficacy of low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) to treat PVT in cirrhotic patients.

STUDY: All 39 patients diagnosed with non-neoplastic PVT and cirrhosis from June 2005 to December 2006 were evaluated for anticoagulation therapy (AT). PVT was occludent in 15.4%, partial in 64.1%, and portal cavernoma presented in 20.5%. Twenty-eight patients received 200 U/kg/d of enoxaparin for at least 6 months. In 39.3% of patients PVT was an occasional finding, in 10.7% presented with acute abdominal pain, in 50% with bleeding from gastroesophageal varices. In this last group LMWH was started after endoscopic eradication of varices by band ligation.

RESULTS: Complete recanalization of portal vein occurred in 33.3%, partial recanalization in 50% and no response in 16.7% of patients. Further 12 patients who continued AT obtained complete recanalization at a median time of 11 months (range 7 to 17 mo). Overall, a complete response was obtained in 75% of patients. No significant side effects, particularly bleeding complications, were observed during the treatment.

CONCLUSIONS: LMWH demonstrated safe and effective in the treatment of PVT in patients with liver cirrhosis.