[Hepatic and renal haemodynamic changes in congestive heart disease].
BACKGROUND
Increased right ventricular pressure in congestive heart disease is transmitted to the inferior caval vein and the hepatic veins and is essential to our understanding of haemodynamic changes in congestive liver disease. By ultrasonography we aimed to reveal haemodynamic changes within the renal parenchyma as well.


METHODS
In 23 patients with serious congestive heart disease we ultrasonographically measured portal pulsatility ratio, maximal velocity in the hepatic vein during atrial contraction and in systole, the vena cava inferior diameter and collapsibility index, and renal resistive and pulsatility indexes. In a control group, ultrasonography was performed in 23 patients without heart disease.


RESULTS
Statistically significant differences between the groups were found on all parameters measured at ultrasonography. In patients with congestive heart disease, the serum creatinine was higher than in the control group.


CONCLUSIONS
Congestive heart disease causes caval hypertension and thus increased pressure within the renal vein. Patients with congestive heart disease have increased renal resistive and pulsatility indexes, which can be explained by increased venous pressure within then renal parenchyma.
Medisinsk avdeling, Alesund Sjukehus, 6026 Alesund. ragnar.eriksen@helse-sunnmore.no
Ragnar
R
Eriksen
Johnny
J
Vegsundvaag
Torstein
T
Hole
Torstein Holm
TH
Morstøl
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000209:etiology; D006978:Hypertension, Renovascular / Q000209:etiology; D007668:Kidney / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008099:Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler; D014655:Vascular Resistance
D003404:Creatinine