TABLE 1.
Patient characteristics in the overall cohort and patients stratified by HVPG
| Parameter | Overall cohort (n = 215) | HVPG 6–9 mm Hg (n = 27) | HVPG 10–19 mm Hg (n = 112) | HVPG ≥20 mm Hg (n = 76) | p‐value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age (years) | 59 (51–67) | 59 (51–67) | 59 (51–67) | 58 (51–67) | .938 |
| Sex (M, %) | 144 (67) | 22 (82) | 73 (65) | 49 (65) | .229 |
| Aetiology (n, %) | |||||
| ALD | 97 (45) | 8 (30) | 44 (39) | 45 (59) | .009 |
| Viral | 38 (18) | 8 (30) | 21 (19) | 9 (12) | |
| ALD + Viral | 14 (6) | 2 (7) | 8 (7) | 4 (5) | |
| NASH | 23 (11) | 3 (11) | 19 (17) | 1 (1) | |
| Cholestatic | 8 (4) | 0 (0) | 3 (3) | 5 (7) | |
| Other | 35 (16) | 6 (22) | 17 (15) | 12 (16) | |
| cACLD (n, %) | 93 (43) | 24 (89) | 53 (47) | 16 (21) | <.001 |
| CTP score (points) | 6 (5–7) | 5 (5–5) | 6 (5–7) | 7 (6–8) | <.001 |
| MELD score (points) | 11 (9–13) | 8 (7–9) | 10 (9–13) | 12 (10–14) | <.001 |
| Varices (n, %) | |||||
| None | 79 (37) | 20 (74) | 43 (38) | 16 (21) | <.001 |
| Small | 54 (25) | 3 (11) | 28 (25) | 23 (30) | |
| Large | 76 (35) | 1 (4) | 38 (34) | 37 (49) | |
| (Unknown) | 6 (3) | 3 (11) | 3 (3) | 0 (0) | |
| Ascites (n, %) | |||||
| None | 120 (56) | 26 (96) | 70 (63) | 24 (32) | <.001 |
| Mild | 82 (38) | 1 (4) | 39 (35) | 42 (55) | |
| Severe | 13 (6) | 0 (0) | 3 (3) | 10 (13) | |
| HE (n, %) | |||||
| None | 185 (86) | 26 (96) | 97 (87) | 62 (82) | .288 |
| Mild | 29 (13) | 1 (4) | 15 (13) | 13 (17) | |
| Severe | 1 (1) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 1 (1) | |
| BMI | 26.7 (23.5–30.7) | 27.2 (25.3–31.7) | 26.7 (23.5–31.0) | 26.2 (22.9–29.9) | .353 |
| WBC (G/L) | 4.70 (3.30–6.14) | 5.60 (4.41–7.00) | 4.54 (3.30–6.22) | 4.54 (3.17–5.85) | .021 |
| CRP (mg/dl) | 0.25 (0.11–0.53) | 0.14 (0.06–0.29) | 0.23 (0.10–0.45) | 0.40 (0.18–0.69) | <.001 |
| IL‐6 (pg/ml) | 7.17 (4.57–12.2) | 4.68 (3.01–8.46) | 6.46 (3.95–12.2) | 8.71 (5.88–18.1) | <.001 |
| PCT (ng/ml) | 0.07 (0.05–0.13) | 0.06 (0.03–0.07) | 0.08 (0.05–0.13) | 0.09 (0.06–0.15) | <.001 |
| LBP (μg/ml) | 6.89 (5.40–8.59) | 7.31 (5.71–9.48) | 6.92 (5.41–8.60) | 6.54 (5.10–8.01) | .341 |
| ELF score | 11.2 (10.3–12.2) | 9.69 (9.07–10.1) | 11.0 (10.4–12.2) | 11.8 (11.2–12.6) | <.001 |
| PRO‐C3 (ng/ml) | 16.4 (11.4–25.7) | 10.0 (7.40–13.8) | 17.4 (11.7–28.2) | 18.2 (14.2–33.1) | <.001 |
| PRO‐C6 (ng/ml) | 13.9 (10.6–19.3) | 10.9 (8.91–12.4) | 14.3 (10.7–19.0) | 15.4 (12.0–21.2) | <.001 |
| TIMP1 (ng/ml) | 316 (246–435) | 252 (174–325) | 299 (243–421) | 376 (277–481) | <.001 |
| C3M (ng/ml) | 13.6 (11.2–18.0) | 11.6 (10.4–13.2) | 13.4 (11.2–16.7) | 16.2 (12.0–20.8) | <.001 |
Note: Statistical Analysis: Kruskal–Wallis and one‐way ANOVA were used to compare continuous variables across HVPG strata. Group comparisons of categorical variables were performed using Chi squared or Fisher's Exact test. p‐values < .05 are indicated in bold.
Abbreviations: ALD, alcohol‐related liver disease; BMI, body‐mass index; C3M, neo‐epitope of MMP‐9 mediated degradation of type III collagen; cACLD, compensated advanced chronic liver disease; CRP, C‐reactive protein; CSPH, clinically significant portal hypertension; CTP, Child‐Turcotte‐Pugh; ELF, enhanced liver fibrosis; HE, hepatic encephalopathy; HVPG, hepatic venous pressure gradient; IL‐6, interleukin‐6; LBP, lipopolysaccharide binding protein; M, male sex; MELD, Model for End‐Stage Liver Disease; NASH, non‐alcoholic steatohepatitis; PCT, procalcitonin; PRO‐C3, released N‐terminal pro‐peptide of type III collagen; PRO‐C6, C‐terminal of released C5 domain of type VI collagen α3 chain; TIMP1, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases‐1; WBC, white blood cell.