Long-term efficacy and safety of anticoagulant for cavernous transformation of the portal vein cirrhotic patient with extrahepatic portal vein obstruction

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Cavernous transformation of the portal vein (CTPV) in cirrhotic patients with extrahepatic portal vein obstruction (EHPVO) was a relatively rare disease and had no consensus on the treatment. Our study aimed to explore the value of anticoagulation with warfarin treatment for CTPV cirrhotic patients with EHPVO. Methods: From January 2015 to December 2019, the clinical characteristics of cirrhotic patients who were diagnosed as CTPV with EHPVO were retrospectively analyzed. Eligible patients were distributed into the anticoagulation group (n = 46) and control group (n = 38). The change of portal vein thrombosis, hepatic decompensation, survival and adverse events were evaluated between the two groups. RESULTS: The median follow-up of our patients was 51 months in the anticoagulation group and 44 months in the control group. The progress rate of the portal vein was higher in patients from the control groups (n = 12) than in patients from the anticoagulation group (n = 4, p = 0.008). There was no significant difference between the partial recanalization rate and stable rate between the two groups. Patients in anticoagulation group developed less hepatic decompensation than those in control group (13.0% vs 34.2%, p = 0.021). The Kaplan-Meier curve showed that patients in the anticoagulation group had a better prognosis than patients in the control group (P < 0.022). There were no serious complications due to warfarin treatment. CONCLUSION: For CTPV cirrhotic patients with EHPVO, anticoagulation with warfarin treatment was effective and safe. Anticoagulants could prevent portal vein thrombosis progression, hepatic decompensation and death. In addition, our results showed little benefit of anticoagulants on thrombosis recanalization. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12959-023-00449-8.