The effect of a combined treatment with propranolol and isosorbide-5-mononitrate on Doppler ultrasound parameters in patients with cirrhosis and portal hypertension.

OBJECTIVES

The objectives of this study were to compare the effect of the treatment with propranolol to that with propranolol and isosorbide-5-mononitrate in portal hypertension, as assessed by Doppler ultrasound parameters in patients with cirrhosis.

METHODS

A prospective study of two groups, each of 30 patients with cirrhosis Child-Pugh A was performed. In one group 40 mg/day propranolol were administered for 6 months and in the other, a combined treatment with propranolol 40 mg/day and isosorbide-5-mononitrate 40 mg/day was administered for 6 months. In all patients the presence of esophageal varices was confirmed by upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and abdominal ultrasonography and Doppler ultrasonography of the portal vein was performed. The patients were monitored for: the velocity of blood flow in the portal vein, the cross sectional area of the portal vein and the portal vein congestion index. Data analysis used t-Student test, Pearson and Spearman correlation. A p value of <0.05 was considered to be significant.

RESULTS

A significant decrease of all parameters after 6 months was observed in the group with combined therapy with propranolol and isosorbide-5-mononitrate (p<0.05). The relative decrease of the cross sectional area of the portal vein and of the portal vein congestion index was more important when patients had higher initial values of the two parameters, indicating an increased hemodynamic impairment (Pearson, p<0.001). In patients treated only with propranolol, the relative decrease correlated with its initial value for all parameters.

CONCLUSION

The combined therapy with propranolol and isosorbide-5-mononitrate proved to be superior to the mono-therapy with propranolol in decreasing the hemodynamic parameters in portal hypertension, probably by an additive effect.