Hepatic Artery and Portal Vein Doppler Indexes in Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Before and After Treatment to Prevent Unnecessary Health Care Costs.
BACKGROUND
We tested whether hepatic haemodynamics assessed by Doppler ultrasonography can be a predictor of response to therapy in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) to prevent further unnecessary diagnostic tests and interventions.


METHODS
Forty eight consecutive patients affected by NAFLD, who refered to some clinics in Tabriz, Iran between 2009 and 2011 were included in the study. Response to therapy was assessed by decrease in liver enzyme levels. Three liver Doppler parameters (hepatic artery resistance index [RI], hepatic artery pulsatility index [PI] and portal vein waveform [PVW]) were analysed in all subjects who showed a decrease in liver function tests results. Wilcoxon and paired student's t-test were used for analysis.


RESULTS
Forty eight subjects with NAFLD were included in the study during 21 months, out of which 22 (39.1% male - mean age: 37.6 ± 8.3) responded to the treatment and formed the basis of this study. Mean hepatic artery RI increased significantly from 0.60 ± 0.07 to 0.83 ± 0.27before and after treatment, however, there was no significant differences between hepatic artery PI or PVW.


CONCLUSIONS
Increase in hepatic artery RI assessed by Doppler ultrasound may provide information on improvement of NAFLD in patients during the course of therapy.
Department of Radiology, Imam Khomeini Hospital, Tabriz University of Medical Science, Tabriz, Iran.
Mohammad Kazem
MK
Tarzamni
Drug Applied Research Centre, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
Manouchehr
M
Khoshbaten
Department of Radiology, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
Shohreh
S
Sadrarhami
Isfahan Medical Students' Research Centre, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
Parnaz
P
Daneshpajouhnejad
Department of Radiology, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
Javad
J
Jalili
Department of Radiology, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
Masoud
M
Gholamian
Department of Radiology, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
Zahra
Z
Shahmoradi
Doppler sonography; hepatic artery resistance index; non-alcoholic fatty liver disease