infection in patients with liver cirrhosis: prevalence and association with portal hypertensive gastropathy.

BACKGROUND

The role of () in the pathogenesis of portal hypertensive gastropathy (PHG) in cirrhotic patients is poorly defined. The aim of this study was toinvestigate the prevalence of infection and its association with PHG in patients with liver cirrhosis.

METHODS

Seroprevalence of was tested in 70 cirrhotic patients with PHG (cases) and 70 cirrhotic patients without PHG (controls) using an anti- IgG ELISA. All patients underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy to assess the severity of PHG and grade of varices.

RESULTS

The presence of was observed in 31 (44.3%) cirrhotic patients with PHG (cases) compared to 19 (27.1%) cirrhotic patients without PHG (controls). The risk estimate showed a significant association between and PHG in cirrhotic patients (P=0.034, OR 2.134, 95% CI 1.052-4.327). Out of the 31 patients with PHG and infection, 19 had severe PHG and 12 had mild PHG while 5 patients had severe PHG and 34 had mild PHG in the group of negative patients. The difference was statistically significant (P<0.001, OR 10.767, 95% CI 3.293-35.205). Of the 70 patients with PHG, 24 had severe PHG and of these 18 (75%) were in Child C compared to 6 (25%) in Child B.

CONCLUSION

There is significant association between infection and PHG in cirrhotic patients which is also related to severity of PHG. Thus, needs to be eradicated in cirrhotic patients with PHG.