Effects of food intake and various extrinsic hormones on portal blood flow in patients with liver cirrhosis demonstrated by pulsed Doppler with the Octoson.

In the fasting state the mean portal blood flow demonstrated by the pulsed Doppler system with the Octoson in liver cirrhosis (LC) patients (velocity (PV), 10.2 +/- 3.5 (mean +/- SD) cm/sec, 7.0 +/- 2.6 cm/sec/m2; flow (PF), 579 +/- 262 ml/min, 383 +/- 184 ml/min/m2 (n = 40)) was significantly lower than that in control subjects (PV, 21.2 +/- 5.2 cm/sec, 14.7 +/- 3.9 cm/sec/m2; PF, 966 +/- 344 ml/min, 667 +/- 220 ml/min/m2 (n = 40)). Food intake increased PV by 15% and PF by 15% in LC (n = 8) and increased PV by 56%, PF by 125% in controls (n = 8). Glucagon increased PV by 30% and PF by 52% in LC (n = 10) and increased PV by 50% and PF by 120% in controls (n = 8). Secretin increased PV by 44% and PF by 75% in LC (n = 9) and increased PV by 66% and PF by 142% in controls (n = 8). Vasopressin decreased PV by 42% and PF by 54% in LC (n = 9) and decreased PV by 48% and PF by 62% in controls (n = 8). Insulin, gastrin, and prostaglandin E1 had no effect in either group.