Enhanced portal flow velocity and volume following Iloprost treatment.
OBJECTIVE
We studied, with color Doppler sonography, portal flow velocity (PV) and volume (PFV) before and after Iloprost infusion.


BACKGROUND
Iloprost is a prostacyclin analogue with arterial vasodilator and platelet aggregation inhibitor properties. Recently, hemodynamic effects after treatment with Iloprost have been demonstrated in subjects with arteriopathy of lower limbs.


METHODS
We treated 10 subjects (2 males and 8 females; mean age 64 +/- 8.2 years) affected by arteriopathy of lower limbs with intravenous infusion of Iloprost, at a dosage of 2 ng/Kg/min (16 hours/day) for 3 days. In all patients portal vein flow velocity (PV) (cm/s) and volume (PFV) (ml/min) were assessed. PV was directly determined by the Doppler system, whereas PFV was calculated using the formula "CSA x PV", after measuring the portal vein cross sectional area (CSA) (mm2).


RESULTS
The patients showed markedly increased PV and PFV after Iloprost infusion (pre-Iloprost vs post-Iloprost treatment mean portal flow velocity and volume values: 23.12 +/- 3.89 cm/s vs 28.49 +/- 3.90 cm/s, p < 0.01 and 1743.9 +/- 241.7 ml/min vs 2271.7 +/- 333.5 ml/min, p < 0.001, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
This study confirms our previous results about increased PV and PFV values after Iloprost treatment. In the light of these results we suggest some possible therapeutic implications in patients undergoing liver transplantation. However, further studies are necessary to confirm this hypothesis.
Zardi
Enrico Maria
EM
Interdisciplinary Center for Biomedical Research (CIR), Laboratory of Internal Medicine and Hepatology, University Campus Bio-Medico, Rome, Italy. e.zardi@unicampus.it
Picardi
Antonio
A
Ambrosino
Giovanni
G
Fazio
Vito Michele
VM
Dobrina
Aldo
A
Afeltra
Antonella
A
Frego
Mauro
M
D000368:Aged; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016285:Iloprost / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008102:Liver Circulation / Q000187:drug effects; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011168:Portal System / Q000187:drug effects*; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use
D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D016285:Iloprost