title: Effects of vaso-active agents on hepatic function and blood gases in patients with cirrhosis: a study of vasopressin and nitroglycerin.
abstract: The effects of vaso-active agents on hepatic function and splanchnic oxygenation were studied in 17 patients with cirrhosis and portal hypertension. Eight patients received vasopressin (0.3 iu/min) and nine patients received nitroglycerin (50 micrograms/min). Both drugs caused a significant reduction in the portal venous pressure gradient. Vasopressin infusion significantly decreased intrinsic clearance of indocyanine green (-23%, P less than 0.01). This may be due to a decreased hepatic perfusion (-28%, P less than 0.01) and portal venous oxygenation (-15% in portal venous oxygen tension, P less than 0.05). In contrast, no changes in hepatic perfusion and portal venous oxygenation were observed after nitroglycerin infusion. Nitroglycerin did not decrease intrinsic clearance of indocyanine green. These results suggest that vasodilators, rather than vasoconstrictors, might be welcome in the treatment of patients with cirrhosis and portal hypertension.
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Iwao
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Toyonaga
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sumino
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takagi
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Oho
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ohkubo
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tanikawa
mesh_terms: D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects; D006503:Hepatic Veins; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D005996:Nitroglycerin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood*; D011169:Portal Vein; D013152:Splanchnic Circulation / Q000187:drug effects; D014667:Vasopressins / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D014667:Vasopressins; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D005996:Nitroglycerin; D010100:Oxygen