PORTOHEPATIC HEMODYNAMICS AND PORTAL HYPERTENSIVE GASTROPATHY IN CIRRHOTIC PATIENTS

Abstract

In order to characterize gastric mucosal lesion in patients with portal hypertension (which is called portal hypertensive gastropathy; PHG), portohepatic hemodynamics were studied in cirrhotic patients. Hepatic venous pressure gradient which reflects portal vein pressure was significantly higher in severe gastropathy group than in without gastropathy group (p <0.05) and in mild gastropathy group (p <0.05). Azygos blood flow which thought to be an index of ascending porto-systemic shunt was not different in these groups. H/L ratio determined by T1-201 chloride per-rectal administration which thought to be an index of descending portosystemic shunt was significantly higher in severe gastropathy group than in mild gastropathy group (p<0.05), but the difference between severe gastropathy group and without gastropathy group was not significant. These observations support the view that portal hypertensive gastropathy depends not only on portal vein pressure but also on the type of collateral vein route.