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Plasma catecholamines in patients with presinusoidal portal hypertension: Comparison with cirrhotic patients and nonportal hypertensive subjects
Author(s) -
Gaudin Christophe,
Braillon Alain,
Poo Jorge Luis,
Kleber Gerhard,
Moreau Richard,
Lebrec Didier
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
hepatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.488
H-Index - 361
eISSN - 1527-3350
pISSN - 0270-9139
DOI - 10.1002/hep.1840130518
Subject(s) - medicine , epinephrine , cirrhosis , portal hypertension , pathophysiology , portal venous pressure , cardiology , gastroenterology , norepinephrine , pulmonary artery , catecholamine , portopulmonary hypertension , dopamine
During a hemodynamic study, plasma catecholamine concentrations were measured in the pulmonary artery and in the hepatic vein in 18 presinusoidal portal hypertensive patients. Results were compared with those in 15 nonportal hypertensive subjects and in 24 cirrhotic patients in good condition (grade A, according to Pugh's classification). Plasma norepinephrine concentrations in the pulmonary artery or in the hepatic vein were not significantly different between nonportal hypertensive subjects (mean ± S.E.M.: 271 ± 36 and 83 ± 11 pg/ml, respectively) and presinusoidal portal hypertensive patients (273 ± 33 and 84 ± 11 pg/ml, respectively). These concentrations were, however, elevated in cirrhotic patients (408 ± 47 and 256 ± 45 pg/ml, p < 0.05 in comparison with the two other groups). These differences suggest that increased sympathetic nervous activity in cirrhosis is associated with the presence of liver disease or increase in sinusoidal pressure. Differences in plasma epinephrine concentrations were not significant among the three groups of patients. However, the existence of a significant correlation between pulmonary artery plasma epinephrine concentration and cardiac index (r 2 = 0.46, p < 0.01) in patients with presinusoidal portal hypertension suggests that the adrenal medulla could play a role in the pathophysiology of the hyperkinetic syndrome of these patients. (H EPATOLOGY 1991;13:913–916.)