Hepatic arterial pulsatility index in cirrhosis: correlation with portal pressure.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Determination of the pulsatility index by means of duplex sonography provides the opportunity to evaluate the vascular resistance of the hepatic artery noninvasively. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the hepatic arterial pulsatility index and the hepatic venous pressure gradient in cirrhosis.

METHODS: In 50 patients with cirrhosis, hepatic venous pressure gradient was determined in the fasting state. Immediately thereafter, hepatic arterial pulsatility index and portal blood flow velocity were measured by duplex sonography with no knowledge of hepatic venous pressure values. In addition, the duplex parameters were determined in 20 controls.

RESULTS: Hepatic arterial pulsatility index was significantly higher in patients with cirrhosis than in controls (0.92+/-0.1 vs. 1.14+/-0.18; p<0.001) and directly correlated with the hepatic venous pressure gradient (r = 0.7; p<0.001). Furthermore, weak correlations were found between hepatic arterial pulsatility index and Child-Pugh score (r = 0.49; p<0.01) and between portal blood flow velocity and hepatic venous pressure gradient (r = -0.48; p<0.01).

CONCLUSION: In cirrhosis the hepatic arterial vascular resistance seems to increase parallel to the rise of the portal pressure. Therefore, duplex sonographic determination of the hepatic arterial pulsatility index may contribute to the noninvasive evaluation of portal hypertension.