Rapid Communication
Copyright ©2008 The WJG Press and Baishideng. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Jan 14, 2008; 14(2): 260-264
Published online Jan 14, 2008. doi: 10.3748/wjg.14.260
Role of echo Doppler ultrasonography in the evaluation of postprandial hyperemia in cirrhotic patients
Osman Ozdogan, Huseyin Atalay, Cagatay Cimsit, Veysel Tahan, Sena Tokay, Adnan Giral, Nese Imeryuz, Feyyaz Baltacioglu, Davut Tuney, Canan Erzen, Nurdan Tozun
Osman Ozdogan, Veysel Tahan, Adnan Giral, Nese Imeryuz, Nurdan Tozun, Department of Gastroenterology, Marmara University, School of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey
Huseyin Atalay, Sena Tokay, Department of Internal Medicine, Marmara University, School of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey
Cimsit Cagatay, Baltacioglu Feyyaz, Tuney Davut, Erzen Canan, Department of Radiology, Marmara University, School of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey
Correspondence to: Osman Özdogan, MD, Department of Gastroenterology, Marmara University Hospital, Kosuyolu 13-15, Altunizade, Istanbul, Turkey. osmanozdogan@yahoo.com
Telephone: +90-216-3267073
Fax: +90-216-3267073
Received: February 20, 2007
Revised: November 14, 2007
Published online: January 14, 2008
Abstract

AIM: To assess the role of echo-Doppler ultrasonography in postprandial hyperemia in cirrhotic patients by comparing the results with the hepatic vein catheterization technique.

METHODS: Patients with cirrhosis, admitted to the portal hemodynamic laboratory were included into the study. After an overnight fast, echo-Doppler ultrasonography (basal and 30 min after a standard meal) and hemodynamic studies by hepatic vein catheterization (basal, 15 min and 30 min after a standard meal) were performed. Ensure Plus (Abbot Laboratories, North Chicago, IL) was used as the standard liquid meal. Correlation analysis of the echo-Doppler and hepatic vein catheterization measurements were done for the basal and postprandial periods.

RESULTS: Eleven patients with cirrhosis (5 Child A, 4 Child B, 2 Child C) were enrolled into the study. After the standard meal, 8 of the 11 patients showed postprandial hyperemia with increase in portal blood flow, portal blood velocity and hepatic venous pressure gradient. Hepatic venous pressure gradient in the postprandial period correlated positively with postprandial portal blood velocity (r = 0.8, P < 0.05) and correlated inversely with postprandial superior mesenteric artery pulsatility index (r = -1, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSION: Postprandial hyperemia can be efficiently measured by echo-Doppler ultrasonography and the results are comparable to those obtained with the hemodynamic studies.

Keywords: Postprandial hyperemia; Echo-Doppler; Hemodynamic study; Cirrhosis; Portal hypertension; Portal pressure