Role of extravariceal collateral channels in the development of portal-hypertensive gastropathy before and after sclerotherapy.

We investigated whether extravariceal collateral pattern contributed to the development of portal-hypertensive gastropathy (PHG) before and after sclerotherapy. Ninety-nine patients with cirrhosis and large esophageal varices were examined in this retrospective study. They were divided into four groups according to transhepatic portographic findings: group A (with neither paraesophageal veins nor gastrorenal shunt; n = 46), group B (with paraesophageal veins; n = 27), group C (with gastrorenal shunt; n = 14), and group D (with paraesophageal veins and gastrorenal shunt; n = 12). To assess PHG, endoscopic examinations were carried out before and 1 week and 1 month after sclerotherapy. The severity of PHG was classified according to a modified McCormack's classification and scored as: absence, 0; mild, 1; severe, 2. There were no significant differences in age, sex, cause of cirrhosis, severity of liver dysfunction, and extent of esophageal varices in the four groups. The PHG score before sclerotherapy was significantly higher in group A than in either group C (P < 0.05) or group D patients (P < 0.05). The calculated, integrated incremental change in PHG score after sclerotherapy was significantly higher in group A than in group C (P < 0.01) and group D patients (P < 0.01). Although the integrated change in PHG score was lower in group B than in group A patients, the difference was not significant (P = 0.68). These results suggest that gastrorenal shunt, but not paraesophageal veins, may play a protective role in the development of PHG before and after sclerotherapy.