Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 10, 2025
Invasive Hemodynamic Characterization of the Portal-hypertensive Syndrome in Cirrhotic Rats
Published on: August 1, 2018
Relationship between hemodynamic parameters and portal venous pressure in cirrhosis patients with portal hypertension
Hongjuan Yao1, Yongliang Wang2
1Department of Gastroenterology, Xi'an Gaoxin Hospital, Xi'an, 710075, China.
Insights
Doppler ultrasound can assess portal hypertension (PHT) in cirrhosis patients by measuring hemodynamic indexes. This noninvasive technique shows promise for evaluating portal venous pressure (PVP) and guiding PHT treatment strategies.
Area of Science:
- Hepatology
- Vascular Medicine
- Diagnostic Imaging
Background:
- Cirrhosis from viral and alcoholic hepatitis is a leading cause of portal hypertension (PHT).
- Complications of PHT are directly linked to portal venous pressure (PVP), making PVP assessment crucial for treatment.
- Current methods to reduce portal pressure may have hemodynamic side effects.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the correlation between hemodynamic indexes and PVP in cirrhotic PHT patients.
- To evaluate the clinical utility of Doppler ultrasound in measuring PVP in PHT patients.
- To explore the relationship between liver function grading and hemodynamic parameters in PHT.
Main Methods:
- Ninety cirrhotic PHT patients and fifty healthy controls underwent Doppler ultrasound measurements.
- Liver hemodynamic parameters including portal vein velocity (PVV), splenic vein velocity (SVV), portal vein diameter (PVD), and splenic vein diameter (SVD) were assessed.
- PHT patients were graded using the Child-Pugh classification to evaluate liver function and measure PVP.
Main Results:
- PHT patients exhibited lower PVV and SVV, and higher PVD and SVD compared to controls (P < 0.05).
- Significant differences in PVD, PVV, SVD, and SVV were observed across Child-Pugh liver function grades (P < 0.05).
- PVP increased with worsening liver function: Grade A (38.9 ± 1.4 cmH2O), Grade B (40.6 ± 5.1 cmH2O), and Grade C (42.5 ± 4.8 cmH2O).
Conclusions:
- Doppler ultrasound is a valuable tool for the clinical assessment of PHT in cirrhosis patients.
- The study suggests Doppler ultrasound has potential for noninvasive detection of PHT in cirrhosis.
- Further large-scale studies are recommended to validate these findings.
Abstract:
Cirrhosis caused by viral and alcoholic hepatitis is an essential cause of portal hypertension (PHT). The incidence of PHT complication is directly proportional to portal venous pressure (PVP), and the clinical research of PVP and its hemodynamic indexes is of great significance for deciding the treatment strategy of PHT. Various techniques are currently being developed to decrease portal pressure but hemodynamic side effects may occur. In this article, the hemodynamic indexes of cirrhotic PHT patients were studied to explore the correlation between the index and PVP and to evaluate the clinical value of Doppler ultrasound in measuring PVP in patients with PHT. This was achieved by selecting 90 cirrhotic PHT patients who underwent transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt in our hospital from June 2015 to September 2019. Fifty healthy people who had a physical examination in the hospital in the same period were selected as the control group. The liver hemodynamic parameters of two groups were measured by Doppler ultrasound, and the cirrhotic PHT patients were graded by the Child-Pugh grading method to evaluate the liver function and measure the PVP value. The results showed that both the central portal vein velocity (PVV) and splenic vein velocity (SVV) of the PHT group were lower than those of the control group. Also, the portal vein diameter (PVD), portal venous flow and splenic vein diameter (SVD) were higher than those of the control group (all Ps < 0.05). Among liver function graded PHT patients, the PVD, PVV, SVD and SVV were significantly different (all Ps < 0.05). Furthermore, the PVP of patients with liver function grades A, B and C was 38.9 ± 1.4, 40.6 ± 5.1 and 42.5 ± 4.8 cmH2O, respectively, with a significant difference. It can be concluded from this study that Doppler ultrasound can be used as a tool for clinical assessment of PHT in cirrhosis patients. Doppler ultrasound showed a good prospect in noninvasive detection of PHT in cirrhosis; however, this technique needs application on large sample population study to validate the results.
Related Concept Videos
01:26Effect of Hepatic Disease on Pharmacokinetics: Drug Dosing and Hepatic Blood Flow
01:28Esophageal Varices-II: Clinical Features and Management
In the initial assessment, a thorough review of the patient's medical history is vital to identify risk factors such as liver disease, alcohol...
01:24Esophageal Varices-I: Introduction
01:21Hepatic Portal System
At its core, the hepatic portal vein is the result of a confluence of the superior and inferior mesenteric veins along with the splenic vein. Each of these veins has a unique role. The superior mesenteric vein is...
01:22Effect of Hepatic Disease on Pharmacokinetics: Pathophysiologic Assessment and Liver Function Test
01:20Vascular Resistance
The primary determinants of vascular resistance are vessel diameter, blood viscosity, and vessel length. Among these, vessel diameter plays the most significant role due to the fourth power relationship described by...