[Peptic ulcer and endoscopic signs of portal hypertension in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis].

BACKGROUND

Controversies exist on the prevalence of peptic ulcer and on the relationship between the presence of portal hypertension associated lesions in the upper gastrointestinal tract and the histological and functional stages of primary biliary cirrhosis

AIM: To evaluate the prevalence of peptic ulcer and endoscopic signs of portal hypertension in subjects with primary biliary cirrhosis.

PATIENTS AND

METHODS

A retrospective study based on upper gastrointestinal endoscopies in 36 patients with primary biliary cirrhosis and 45 subjects with chronic active hepatitis.

SETTING

Gastroenterology Center, Hospital Clínico, University of Chile, Santiago.

MAIN

RESULTS

No differences were demonstrated between the two groups for the prevalence of peptic ulcer (11% in primary biliary cirrhosis vs 13% in chronic active hepatitis). Esophageal varices were found in 5 of 16 patients (31%) in prefibrotic stages of primary biliary cirrhosis compared with 10 of 20 (50%) in whom fibrosis or cirrhosis were noted; NS. Endoscopic signs suggesting hypertensive gastropathy were present in 2 patients with early primary biliary cirrhosis (13%) and in 5 (25%) in advanced stages.

CONCLUSIONS

Peptic ulcer is not more prevalent in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis than in those suffering from chronic active hepatitis. Esophageal varices and endoscopic stigmata of portal hypertension induced changes in gastric mucosa can be observed in early stages of primary biliary cirrhosis.