Sildenafil has no effect on portal pressure but lowers arterial pressure in patients with compensated cirrhosis.
OBJECTIVE
The reduction of portal pressure in patients with early compensated cirrhosis may be more responsive to drugs increasing intrahepatic vasodilatation than those reducing portal venous inflow. The phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE-V) inhibitor sildenafil can potentially reduce portal pressure by decreasing intrahepatic resistance, but its systemic vasodilatory effects may be deleterious. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of sildenafil on systemic and portal hemodynamics in an open-label pilot study.


METHODS
Twelve patients with compensated cirrhosis and baseline hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG) >5 mm Hg received 25 mg of oral sildenafil. Mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), and HVPG were repeated after 30 and 60 minutes in 9/12 patients at 90 minutes (after an additional 25 mg of sildenafil). HVPG tracings were read by 3 blinded observers.


RESULTS
All 12 patients were Child A with median MAP of 92 mm Hg (interquartile range, 83-94) and HVPG 10.4 mm Hg (interquartile range, 6.6-13.0). While MAP decreased significantly at all time points, sildenafil had no effect on HVPG.


CONCLUSIONS
As shown with other vasodilators in compensated cirrhotic patients, sildenafil at therapeutic doses for erectile dysfunction reduces MAP without reducing portal pressure. The search should continue for specific intrahepatic vasodilators.
Tandon
Puneeta
P
Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Digestive Diseases, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06510, USA.
Inayat
Irteza
I
Tal
Michael
M
Spector
Marcelo
M
Shea
Martha
M
Groszmann
Roberto J
RJ
Garcia-Tsao
Guadalupe
G
D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D010879:Piperazines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011687:Purines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D000068677:Sildenafil Citrate; D013450:Sulfones / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology
D010879:Piperazines; D011687:Purines; D013450:Sulfones; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D000068677:Sildenafil Citrate