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Doppler assessment of splanchnic arterial flow in patients with liver cirrhosis: Correlation with ammonia plasma levels and MELD score
Author(s) -
Glišić Tijana M.,
Perišić Mirjana D.,
Dimitrijevic Sladjana,
Jurišić Vladimir
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
journal of clinical ultrasound
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.272
H-Index - 61
eISSN - 1097-0096
pISSN - 0091-2751
DOI - 10.1002/jcu.22135
Subject(s) - cirrhosis , medicine , splanchnic , gastroenterology , liver disease , renal function , liver function , blood flow , cardiology
Purpose To assess the clinical significance of blood flow velocity and resistance index (RI) in the visceral arteries of patients with liver cirrhosis with respect to plasma ammonia (NH3) level and liver function. Methods We included 80 patients with liver cirrhosis (58 men) and 20 healthy controls (11 men). Duplex Doppler ultrasonography was used to assess flow velocity and RI in the hepatic (HA), right (RRA), and left renal (LRA), and splenic (SA) (LA) artery. Plasma NH3 was measured by biochemistry. Liver function was assessed by MELD score (model of end‐stage liver disease). Results HA, LRA, and SA systolic flow velocities were greater, whereas RRA diastolic velocity was lower in patients with liver cirrhosis than in controls RI was higher in LRA, RRA, SA, and HA in patients with liver cirrhosis than in controls. NH3 levels were significantly elevated in all patients with liver cirrhosis ( p < 0.05) and significantly correlated with RI of RRA, LRA, and SA. Conclusion We found greater renal, hepatic, and LA RI in patients with liver cirrhosis than in healthy controls. The correlation we found between elevated renal artery RI (≥0.70) and MELD score emphasizes the risk of renal dysfunction during progression of liver cirrhosis. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound 42 :264–269, 2014