Hepatic artery resistance before and after standard meal in subjects with diseased and healthy livers.
OBJECTIVE
To assess fasting and postprandial resistive index (RI) in subjects with healthy and diseased livers.


METHODS
Subjects with healthy (n = 10) and diseased (n = 33) livers underwent fasting and postprandial Doppler ultrasonography of the hepatic artery. Findings were compared with parameters for liver disease and Child class A-C and Child score of 5-15.


RESULTS
The mean postprandial RI increase in healthy subjects was 42% (all, > or = 20%) and in patients with liver disease was 7% (six, > or = 20%). Patients with class A disease (n = 12) had a significantly greater increase in post-prandial RI (13%) than those with class B or C disease (3%) (P < .05). All patients with class C disease (n = 9) had an increased postprandial RI of less than 10%. The 13 patients with at least 10% increase in postprandial RI had less severe liver disease (Child score, 6.1 +/- 1.3 [standard deviation]) than the 20 patients with less than 10% increase (Child score, 8.4 +/- 1.7) (P < .01).


CONCLUSIONS
A normal marked increase in postprandial RI is generally not seen in patients with severe liver disease.
Joynt
L K
LK
Department of Radiology, University of Michigan Hospital, Ann Arbor 48109-0030, USA.
Platt
J F
JF
Rubin
J M
JM
Ellis
J H
JH
Bude
R O
RO
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005215:Fasting / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005502:Food; D006499:Hepatic Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008102:Liver Circulation / Q000502:physiology; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler; D014655:Vascular Resistance / Q000502:physiology