Portal vein thrombosis is associated with an increased risk of bone fractures

BACKGROUND: Portal vein thrombosis (PVT) is a rare but severe disease that often leads to portal hypertension-related complications. It is well-known that patients with portal hypertension associated with liver cirrhosis are at increased risk for bone fractures, however data on the impact of PVT on fracture risk are lacking. AIMS: This study aimed to explore the impact of PVT on the incidence of bone fractures in a large German primary care cohort. METHODS: Patients with PVT were extensively matched to non-PVT individuals in a 1:5 ratio. The primary outcome of the study was the incidence of any bone fracture. RESULTS: This study included 596 patients with PVT and 2,980 non-PVT individuals. During five years of follow-up, the cumulative incidence of bone fractures was significantly higher in PVT patients (n = 87, 13.6%) than in those without PVT (n = 186, 6.7%) (p<0.001). In Cox-regression analyses, PVT was positively associated with bone fractures (HR: 2.16; 95% CI: 1.59–2.93). This association was stronger in women (HR: 2.55; 95% CI: 1.65–3.95) than in men (HR: 1.87; 95% CI: 1.22–2.87). The strongest association was observed in the age group 51–60 years (HR: 2.50, 95% CI: 1.40–4.47). The association between PVT and bone fractures was maintained in subgroup analyses of patients with (HR: 2.03, 95% CI: 1.13–3.63) and without liver cirrhosis (HR: 1.82, 95% CI: 1.28–2.58). CONCLUSIONS: PVT is independently associated with a higher incidence of bone fractures. Patients with PVT should be critically evaluated for fracture risk and preventive measures should be considered.