[Comparison of Doppler ultrasonography and hepatic venous pressure gradient in assessing portal hypertension in liver cirrhosis].
OBJECTIVE
This prospective study aimed to determine if Doppler ultrasonography can be representative of hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG) in assessing the severity of portal hypertension and response to drug reducing portal pressure.


METHODS
The HVPG and the parameters of Doppler ultrasonography including portal venous velocity (PVV) and splenic venous velocity, the pulsatility and resistive index of hepatic, splenic and renal arteries were measured in 105 patients with liver cirrhosis. In 31 patients the changes of hepatic venous pressure gradient and portal venous velocity after administration of terlipressin were evaluated. The patients who showed a reduction in HVPG of more than 20% of the baseline were defined as responders to terlipressin.


RESULTS
Any Doppler ultrasonographic parameters did not correlate with HVPG. Both HVPG and PVV showed a highly significant reduction after the administration of terlipressin(-28.3 +/- 3.9%, -31.2 +/- 2.2% respectively). However, PVV decreased significantly not only in responders(31.7 +/- 2.4%) but also in nonresponders(29.5 +/- 6.1%).


CONCLUSIONS
Doppler ultrasonography can not be representative of HVPG in assessing the severity of portal hypertension and response to drug reducing portal pressure in liver cirrhosis.
Jeong
Phil Ho
PH
Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University, Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju, Korea.
Baik
Soon Koo
SK
Choi
Yeun Jong
YJ
Park
Dong Hoon
DH
Kim
Moon Young
MY
Kim
Hyun Soo
HS
Lee
Dong Ki
DK
Kwon
Sang Ok
SO
Kim
Young Ju
YJ
Park
Joong Wha
JW
Kim
Nam Dong
ND
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D005260:Female; D006503:Hepatic Veins; D006801:Humans; D006975:Hypertension, Portal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000150:complications*; D008236:Lypressin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D000077585:Terlipressin; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler; D014690:Venous Pressure
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D008236:Lypressin; D000077585:Terlipressin