AIM:To determine if proton pump inhibitor use in cirrhotic patients with endoscopic findings of portal hypertension is associated with a lower frequency of gastrointestinal bleeding.METHODS:Patients with cirrhosis and endoscopic findings related to portal hypertension,receiving or not receiving proton pump inhibitor (PPI) therapy,were included retrospectively.We assigned patients to two groups:group 1 patients underwent PPI therapy and group 2 patients did not undergo PPI therapy.RESULTS:One hundred and five patients with a median age of 58 (26-87) years were included,57 (54.3%) of which were women.Esophageal varices were found in 82 (78%) patients,portal hypertensive gastropathy in 72 (68.6%) patients,and gastric varices in 15 (14.3%) patients.PPI therapy was used in 45.5% of patients (n=48).Seventeen (16.1%) patients presented with upper gastrointestinal bleeding;in 14/17 (82.3%) patients,bleeding was secondary to esophageal varices,and in 3/17 patients bleeding was attributed to portal hypertensive gastropathy.Bleeding related to portal hypertension according to PPI therapy occurred in 18.7% (n=9) of group 1 and in 14% (n=8) of group 2 (odds ratio:0.83,95% confidence interval:0.5-1.3,P=0.51).CONCLUSION:Portal hypertension bleeding is not associated with PPI use.These findings do not support the prescription of PPIs in patients with chronic liver disease with no currently accepted indication. AIM: To determine if proton pump inhibitor use in cirrhotic patients with endoscopic findings of portal hypertension is associated with a lower frequency of gastrointestinal bleeding. METHODS: Patients with cirrhosis and endoscopic findings related to portal hypertension, receiving or not receiving proton pump inhibitor (PPI ) therapy, were included retrospectively. We assigned patients to two groups: group 1 patients underwent PPI therapy and group 2 patients did not undergo PPI therapy .RESULTS: One hundred and five patients with a median age of 58 (26-87) years were included 57 patients (54.3%) of which were women. Esophageal varices were found in 82 (78%) patients, portal hypertensive gastropathy in 72 (68.6%) patients, and gastric varices in 15 in 45.5% of patients (n = 48). Seventeen (16.1%) patients presented with upper gastrointestinal bleeding; in 14/17 (82.3%) patients, bleeding was secondary to esophageal varices, and in 3/17 patients wasted to attributed to por tal hypertensive gastropathy. Bleeding related to portal hypertension according to PPI-therapy occurred in 18.7% (n = 9) of group 1 and in 14% (n = 8) of group 2 (odds ratio: 0.83, 95% confidence interval: 0.5- 1.3, P = 0.51) .CONCLUSION: Portal hypertension bleeding is not associated with PPI use. The findings do not support the prescription of PPIs in patients with chronic liver disease with no currently accepted indication.