Nodules in antrum after variceal eradication a new finding in patients with portal hypertension

Abstract

Portal hypertension is known to cause esophageal varices, gastric varices and portal hypertensive gastropathy (PHG). The prevalence of gastric varices and PHG is known to increase after eradication of esophageal varices. PHG includes the presence of a mucosal mosaic pattern, cherry red spots, and/or black-brown spots and gastric vascular ectasia (GAVE). Patients with portal hypertension in whom esophageal varices were eradicated were on follow up endoscopy for detection of recurrence of esophageal varices. Their status of PHG was assessed and patients antral nodules were enrolled. Twenty patients with antral nodules were identified over one year. Fifteen out of 20 patients had cirrhosis as etiology of portal hypertension, three had non-cirrhotic portal hypertension and two had extra-hepatic portal vein thrombosis. GAVE was seen more commonly (n=8, 40%) in patients with PHG with nodules. PHG with antral nodules is a novel endoscopic finding present both in cirrhotic and non-cirrhotic portal hypertension with unknown pathogenesis, and is seen more commonly in patients with eradicated varices who are on long-term follow up.