title: Liver function assessed by increased rate of portal venous blood flow after oral intake of glucose.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To find out whether an increased rate of portal venous blood flow after oral intake of glucose could be used to estimate liver function.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective study.
  
  
  METHODS
  University hospital, Japan.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty patients, of whom 23 had hepatocellular carcinoma and liver cirrhosis, 21 had tumours metastatic to normal liver, and 16 had obstructive jaundice treated with percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD).
  
  
  METHODS
  Portal flow was measured after oral intake of glucose 75 g using pulsed-Doppler ultrasonography.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The ratio of portal flow 30 minutes after glucose intake to that before intake (PVFR30) was significantly lower in cirrhotic patients than in those with metastases and a normal liver. A PVFR30 of less than 1.5 indicated impaired hepatic function assessed by the Child-Pugh scores, indocyanine green clearance test, prothrombin time, and hepaplastin test. It also indicated less reduction in total bilirubin concentrations in the first week after PTBD.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results suggest that PVFR30 can be used to estimate liver function and predict outcome after PTBD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Showa University Fujigaoka Hospital, Yokohama, Japan.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sasaya
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yagi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kigawa
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakano
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Midorikawa
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nagasaki
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kumada
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D002780:Cholestasis, Intrahepatic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D005947:Glucose / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D008102:Liver Circulation / Q000502:physiology*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler
chemical_list: D005947:Glucose