title: Chronic administration of propylthiouracil ameliorates hyperdynamic circulation in portal hypertensive rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effect of a hypothyroid state, induced by chronic propylthiouracil administration, on splanchnic and systemic hemodynamic parameters in rats with portal hypertension due to portal vein ligation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Portal hypertension was induced by surgical stenosis of the portal vein. Cardiac index and portal blood flow were measured using radioactive microspheres. Measurements were performed after treatment with propylthiouracil (1 mg/ml in drinking water) for 5 days.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Propylthiouracil-treated portal hypertensive rats had a lower portal pressure (12.4 +/- 1.9 versus 16.3 +/- 0.7 mmHg; p < 0.05) and portal blood flow (11.6 +/- 0.7 versus 13.2 +/- 1.3 ml/min/100 g; p < 0.05) than non-treated animals. Splanchnic vasoconstriction in treated animals was associated with a higher peripheral vascular resistance (2.3 +/- 0.4 versus 1.8 +/- 0.3 mmHg/ml/min/100 g; p < 0.05) than controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that portal pressure can be lowered by inducing a hypothyroid state by chronic administration of propylthiouracil.
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Albornoz
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: de las Heras
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bildózola
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Bandi
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Mastai
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D013956:Antithyroid Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects*; D006975:Hypertension, Portal / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D011441:Propylthiouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013152:Splanchnic Circulation / Q000502:physiology; D014661:Vasoconstriction / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D013956:Antithyroid Agents; D011441:Propylthiouracil