Anemia increases gastric blood flow in noncirrhotic and cirrhotic patients.
BACKGROUND
Previous studies in rats have demonstrated that anemia induces a significant increment in gastric mucosal blood flow. In the present study, we investigated whether chronic anemia induces similar changes in gastric blood perfusion in humans, and if this effect is also present in cirrhotic patients in whom gastric blood flow is usually increased in basal conditions.


METHODS
Gastric mucosal blood perfusion was assessed by means of laser-Doppler flowmetry and reflectance spectrophotometry applied through the endoscope.


RESULTS
Anemia significantly increases laser-Doppler signal in cirrhotic (2.3 +/- 0.11 vs 2.9 +/- 0.22 volts, p < 0.05) and noncirrhotic patients (1.71 +/- 0.15 vs 2.24 +/- 0.17, p < 0.05). In anemic patients the index of hemoglobin concentration of the gastric mucosa, assessed by reflectance spectrophotometry, was significantly decreased in cirrhotic patients (107.6 +/- 4.7 vs 95.5 +/- 3.3, p < 0.05) and noncirrhotic patients (93.9 +/- 4.1 vs 76.1 +/- 4.2, p < 0.01), whereas the index of oxygen saturation was increased (36.7 +/- 0.7 vs 40.4 +/- 1.4, p = 0.05; and 36.4 +/- 1.1 vs 43.2 +/- 1.9, p < 0.01, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
In conclusion, chronic anemia is associated with an enhanced gastric blood perfusion reflected by an increased laser-doppler signal and gastric mucosal oxygen index despite a decrease in gastric hemoglobin concentration. In cirrhotic patients, anemia promotes a further increment in its basal gastric hyperemia.
Cirera
I
I
Gastroenterology Department, Hospital Clínic i Provincial, University of Barcelona, Spain.
Panés
J
J
Bordas
J M
JM
Llach
J
J
Bosch
J
J
Piqué
J M
JM
Terés
J
J
Rodés
J
J
D000740:Anemia / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000098:blood supply*; D005773:Gastroscopy; D006400:Hematocrit; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D006940:Hyperemia / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D017078:Laser-Doppler Flowmetry; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010100:Oxygen / Q000032:analysis; D013053:Spectrophotometry
D006454:Hemoglobins; D010100:Oxygen