Effect of laparoscopic splenectomy on portal hypertensive gastropathy in cirrhotic patients with portal hypertension

Aim:  This study investigated the relationship between portal hypertensive gastropathy (PHG) and splenomegaly, and the effect of laparoscopic splenectomy on PHG in cirrhotic patients with portal hypertension.
Methods:  Seventy patients with liver cirrhosis and portal hypertension were prospectively studied. Indication for laparoscopic splenectomy was bleeding tendency in 10 patients, induction of interferon in 45, treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma in seven, and treatment for endoscopic injection sclerotherapy-resistant esophagogastric varices in eight. The severity of PHG was classified into none, mild, or severe according to the classification by McCormack et al. The severity of liver disease was classified using the Child–Pugh score. All patients underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy before and 1 month after the operation.
Results:  The prevalence of PHG was significantly correlated with the severity of liver disease using the Child–Pugh score. The severity of PHG was significantly correlated with the resected spleen volume. One month after the operation, PHG was improved in 16 of 17 patients with severe PHG and in 12 of 32 with mild PHG. The Child–Pugh score showed a significant improvement (6.8 ± 1.4 to 6.2 ± 1.2) at 3 months after laparoscopic splenectomy ( P  < 0.0001).
Conclusions:  PHG may be associated with splenomegaly, and laparoscopic splenectomy may have a beneficial effect on PHG, at least for a short time.     

Protein C and D-dimer are related to portal vein thrombosis in patients with liver cirrhosis

Background and Aim: To profile changes of coagulation, anticoagulation and fibrolytic factors associated with liver function failure and portal vein thrombosis (PVT) formation in chronic liver cirrhosis patients. Methods: A total of 116 cirrhotic patients admitted to our hospital from June 2006 to October 2008 were included in our study. All patients were classified into two groups: PVT group (31 patients), composed of patients with PVT and a control group (85 patients), including patients without PVT. Platelet, prothrombin time (PT), activated partial prothrombin time (APTT) and fibrinogen were measured. Also, plasma samples from the patients were analyzed for the levels of antithrombin III (AT‐III), protein C (PC), protein S (PS), D‐dimer, tissue‐type plasminogen activator as well as plasminogen activator inhibitor‐1. Statistical analyses were carried out to evaluate the correlation of specific variations with the disease status. Results: In general, the higher Child‐Pugh scores, indicating the aggravation of hepatic impairment of the patients, correlated well with the prolonged PT/APTT and increased D‐dimer, as well as decreased platelet, fibrinogen, PC and AT‐III levels in the serum. Furthermore, we found that the PC, PS and D‐dimer levels in PVT patients were 2.32 ± 0.72 mg/L, 17.14 ± 3.62 mg/L and 0.99 ± 0.36 mg/L, respectively, both representing a significant difference compared with those in the control group without PVT. Logistic regression model shows that the odds ratio value of one unit of increase of PC and D‐dimer were 0.48 and 15.57. Conclusions: Cirrhotic patients displayed dysfunctions in the coagulation, anti‐coagulation and fibrolytic systems. The development of PVT in these patients may be independently associated with the decrease of PC, PS and D‐dimer. Furthermore, decreasing PC and increasing D‐dimer may be risk factors inducing PVT in cirrhotic patients.     

Clinical features and survival in Chinese patients with hepatitis B e antigen-negative hepatitis B virus-related cirrhosis

Aim:  To compare the clinical features of hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-negative and HBeAg-positive cirrhosis, and to define the survival and prognostic indicators of Chinese HBeAg-negative hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related cirrhosis.
Methods:  Two hundred and seventeen patients with chronic hepatitis B cirrhosis were studied. Survival was calculated using the Kaplan–Meier method. Proportional hazards Cox regression procedure was used to identify independent predictors of survival. The relationship between HBV-DNA viral load and prognosis was also investigated.
Results:  The mean follow-up time was 35 months (3–47 months). HBeAg-negative liver cirrhosis patients comprised the greatest number of cirrhosis patients. Median alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels, median total leukocytes (WBC), hemoglobin (Hb), platelet (Plt) and HBV-DNA levels and the proportion of HBV-DNA > 10⁵ copies/mL were lower in HBeAg-negative patients. There were fewer complications in patients treated with lamivudine than in other patients. Survival rates were significantly reduced in patients with HBeAg-negative cirrhosis ( P  = 0.0024). The baseline Child–Pugh scores and more than one decompensation during follow up were independent variables correlated with survival of HBeAg-negative liver cirrhosis patients ( P  = 0.006 and P  = 0.001, respectively). The HBV-DNA viral load did not correlate with any complications or mortality rates of HBeAg-negative patients.
Conclusions:  The clinical features of HBeAg-negative and -positive liver cirrhosis differ. Survival was significantly reduced for Chinese patients with HBeAg-negative than -positive cirrhosis. Factors contributing to the prognosis were baseline Child–Pugh scores and the presence of more than one decompensation during follow up.     

Urinary bile acid sulfate levels in patients with hepatitis C virus-related chronic liver diseases

Aim:  Urinary bile acids are mainly conjugated with sulfuric acid, and urinary sulfated bile acid (USBA) levels in hepatobiliary diseases have been reported. However, the relationship between USBA and fasting serum total bile acid (TBA) has not been studied in hepatobiliary diseases. In the present study, we measured USBA levels in patients with hepatitis C virus-related chronic liver diseases, and the relationship between TBA and various laboratory tests was studied.
Methods:  USBA was measured using an automatic assay kit in 66 patients with chronic hepatitis and 28 patients with liver cirrhosis, and its relationship between TBA and various laboratory tests was studied.
Results:  The median USBA level was 10.7 µmol/g creatinine in patients with chronic hepatitis and 41.1 µmol/g creatinine in liver cirrhosis ( P  = 0.000). More patients with chronic hepatitis had elevated USBA levels (61%) compared to TBA level (39%) ( P  = 0.002). USBA level was well correlated with TBA (r_s = 0.680), and negatively correlated with albumin (r_s = −0.488), prothrombin time (r_s = −0.385) and platelet counts (r_s = −0.394). In patients with liver cirrhosis, USBA was significantly elevated in Child–Pugh class B compared to Child–Pugh class A ( P  = 0.036).
Conclusion:  Although the metabolic pathways of USBA and TBA are different, these levels correlated very well, and USBA is considered to be a useful indicator of hepatic function like TBA in patients with chronic hepatitis C.     

Reappraisal of repeated transarterial chemoembolization in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein invasion

Background and Aim:  This study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy and safety of repeated transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) with additional radiation therapy (RT) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with portal vein (PV) invasion.
Methods:  We performed survival analysis of consecutive HCC patients with PV invasion according to the treatment modalities after stratification by the degree of PV invasion and liver function retrospectively.
Results:  During 2005, 281 patients were newly diagnosed to have HCC with PV invasion at our institution. Repeated TACE or transarterial chemoinfusion (TACI) was performed in 202 (71.9%) patients and additional RT was performed for PV invasion in 43 of them. A total of 281 patients had a median survival of 5.2 months and a 2-year survival rate (YSR) of 19.2%. Repeated TACE showed significant survival benefits compared with conservative management in patients with PV branch invasion; median survival and 2-YSR was 10.2 vs 2.3 months and 33.7% vs 0% in Child–Pugh A categorized patients and 5.5 vs 1.3 months and 10.3 vs 0% in Child–Pugh B categorized patients, respectively ( P  < 0.001). In patients with PV branch invasion, the survival rate was significantly longer with TACE/TACI plus RT than with TACE/TACI alone both in Child–Pugh A categorized patients (1-YSR: 63.6 vs 35.6%, P  = 0.031) and Child–Pugh B categorized patients (1-YSR: 66.7 vs 7.7%, P  = 0.007). Repeated TACE was well tolerated in our patients, with only one dying within one month after TACE.
Conclusion:  Repeated TACE with additional RT can be performed safely and showed a significant survival benefit in HCC patients with PV branch invasion with conserved liver function.     

Underlying mechanism of portal hypertensive gastropathy in cirrhosis: A hemodynamic and morphological approach

Background and Aim:  Portal hypertensive gastropathy (PHG) is an important cause of bleeding in patients with cirrhosis associated with portal hypertension. Histologically, the condition is characterized by dilation of the mucosal and submucosal vessels of the stomach; however, its mechanisms remain unclear. The aim of the present cross-sectional study was to evaluate the role of portal and systemic hemodynamic features, humoral factors and hepatocellular function in the development and severity of PHG in patients with cirrhosis.
Methods:  Forty-six patients with cirrhosis of different etiologies underwent endoscopy. Portal hypertension was evaluated by hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG). The gastric mucosa was analyzed using two diagnostic methods: endoscopy according to the McCormack criteria and histological by histomorphometric analysis.
Results:  The prevalence of PHG according to the endoscopic and histomorphometric methods was 93.4% and 76.1%, respectively. There were no statistically significant differences in HVPG measurements between the patients with mild (16.0 ± 5.9 mmHg) and severe PHG (16.9 ± 6.5 mmHg; P  = 0.80) or between patients who did not have (15.2 ± 8.0 mmHg) and those who had PHG (16.3 ± 5.7 mmHg). No correlation was found between the presence or severity of PHG and systemic vascular resistance index ( P  = 0.53 and 0.34, respectively), Child–Pugh classification ( P  = 0.73 and 0.78, respectively) or glucagon levels ( P  = 0.59 and 0.62, respectively).
Conclusions:  The present data show no correlation between the presence or the severity of PHG and portal pressure, Child–Pugh classification or systemic hemodynamics, suggesting that other factors may be involved in the physiopathology of PHG, such as local gastric mucosal factors or other underlying factors.     

Effect of portal vein thrombosis on the prognosis of patients with cirrhosis without a liver transplant: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background:Portal vein thrombosis (PVT) is a relatively common complication of cirrhosis. However, the effect of PVT on the prognosis might not be unequivocal. A systematic review and meta-analysis were performed to investigate the effect of PVT on the prognosis of patients with cirrhosis who have not received a liver transplant.Methods:Three databases, including PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library, were searched for studies published up to March 2020. The survival or mortality rate of patients with PVT served as the main index to evaluate the prognosis of these patients. Hepatic decompensation served as the index of disease progression. Meta-analyses were conducted using Review Manager software 5.2.Results:Sixteen clinical studies were included and analyzed. PVT was associated with an increased risk of mortality in patients with decompensated cirrhosis. According to the meta-analysis, patients with cirrhosis presenting with PVT had a lower 1-year survival rate than patients without PVT (odds ratio (OR), 0.32; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.14–0.75; P = .008). The cumulative survival rates were similar between the 2 groups at 3 years (OR, 1.04; 95% CI, 1.00–1.08; P = .06), 5 years (OR, 1.33; 95% CI, 0.71–2.48; P = .38) and 10 years (OR, 1.24; 95% CI, 0.79–1.93; P = .35). PVT was associated with a higher mortality rate in patients with Child-Pugh class B and C disease. A significantly increased risk of death was observed in patients with complete PVT. Patients with both PVT and cirrhosis had a higher rate of decompensation than patients without PVT.Conclusions:The presence of PVT might exert a slight effect on the overall prognosis of patients with cirrhosis. PVT might mainly affect the short-term prognosis by increasing hepatic decompensation events in patients with cirrhosis. However, PVT might not influence the long-term prognosis of patients with cirrhosis.     

Incidence and clinical presentation of portal vein thrombosis in cirrhotic patients

BACKGROUND: Portal vein thrombosis (PVT) is due to many risk factors, but its pathogenesis is still not clearly understood. To identify the risk factors for PVT, we analyzed the clinical characteristics and complications associated with PVT in cir-rhotic patients.
METHODS: We studied patients with liver cirrhosis who were admitted to our unit from April 2009 to December 2014. The patients were divided into the PVT and non-PVT groups, and were compared by variables including gender, age, the etiology of cirrhosis, stage of cirrhosis, complications, imaging, and treatment.
RESULTS: PVT was found in 45 (9.8%) of 461 cirrhotic pa-tients admitted to our hospital. Most patients (45.9%) had hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related cirrhosis, with a similar dis-tribution of etiologies between the groups. However, there was no positive relationship between PVT and etiologies of cirrhosis. Most patients (71.5%) were in the stage of hepatic decompensation. No statistically signiifcant differences were found in complications including esophageal varices, ascites, and hepatic encephalopathy between the groups. However, there was a signiifcant positive correlation between hepatocel-lular carcinoma (HCC) and PVT (P<0.01). In 30 patients with PVT, thrombosis occurred in the portal vein and/or portal branches, 37.8% were diagnosed on ultrasound.
CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of PVT was 9.8%, mainly in patients with HBV-related cirrhosis. The development of PVT was associated with the severity of liver disease and HCC.     

Abnormality of the hepatic vein waveforms in cirrhotic patients with portal hypertension and its prognostic implications

Background and Aim:  We investigated the prognostic significance of changes in the Doppler hepatic vein (HV) waveforms in cirrhotic patients with portal hypertension and the mechanisms of these changes.
Methods:  A total of 103 consecutive patients were included in this study and their HV waveforms were classified into four types: type I, triphasic waveform; type II, biphasic waveform; type III, biphasic waveform with reduced phasic oscillations; and type IV, a flat waveform.
Results:  Type I was observed in 34, type II in 40, type III in 23, and type IV in six patients. The 5-year survival rates were 90%, 89%, 41%, and 0% in type I, II, III, and IV, respectively. Five variables including the Child–Pugh score, albumin, bilirubin, ascites, and HV waveform significantly correlated with the survival in a univariate analysis. A multivariate analysis only identified the HV waveform (type III and IV) to be an independent prognostic value. Even in Child–Pugh class B patients, the 5-year survival rate for type III or IV was as poor as 26% in comparison to 92% for type I or II. In contrast, in Child–Pugh class C patients, the 5-year survival rate for type I or II was as good as 63% in comparison to 25% for type III or IV. Furthermore, the changes in HV waveforms correlated with the extent of hepatic fibrosis, the increase in portal perfusion per liver volume, or the decrease in portal vascular resistance.
Conclusions:  Analyzing the HV waveforms was thus found to be a simple method for accurately assessing the prognosis in cirrhotic patients with portal hypertension.     

肝硬化门静脉血栓形成的危险因素

门静脉血栓(PVT)在肝硬化患者中较常见,合并PVT的静脉曲张更容易出血,止血失败率及再出血率更高,对于肝移植患者,其预后更差。目前PVT形成的相关危险因素较多,如肝功能严重程度、非选择性β受体阻滞剂的使用、门静脉血流速度等。重点对肝硬化PVT形成的危险因素进行综述,以进一步了解PVT形成的相关机制和PVT的危险程度。     

Evaluation of Quantitative Portal Venous, Hepatic Arterial, and Total Hepatic Tissue Blood Flow Using Xenon CT in Alcoholic Liver Cirrhosis: Comparison With Liver Cirrhosis C

Background/Aims: Xenon computed tomography (Xe-CT) is a noninvasive method of quantifying and visualizing tissue blood flow (TBF). For the liver, Xe-CT allows separate measurement of hepatic arterial and portal venous TBF. The present study evaluated the usefulness of Xe-CT as a noninvasive diagnostic procedure for measuring hepatic TBF in alcoholic liver cirrhosis (AL-LC), compared with liver cirrhosis C (C-LC).
Methods: Xenon computed tomography was performed on 12 patients with AL-LC and 17 patients with C-LC. The severity of LC was classified according to Child–Pugh classification. Correlations between hepatic TBF and Child–Pugh classification were examined. Correlations of hepatic TBF in Child–Pugh class A to C-LC and AL-LC were also examined.
Results: The mean portal venous TBF (PVTBF) was significantly lower in AL-LC than in C-LC ( p =0.0316). Similarly, the mean total hepatic TBF (THTBF) was significantly lower in AL-LC than in C-LC ( p =0.0390). PVTBF displayed a significant negative correlation with Child–Pugh score ( r =−0.396, p =0.0368).
Conclusions: Measurement of hepatic TBF using Xe-CT is useful as a noninvasive, objective method of assessing the state of the liver in chronic liver disease.     

肝硬化患者门静脉血栓形成危险因素的Logistic回归分析

目的研究肝硬化患者门静脉血栓（PVT）形成的相关危险因素。方法回顾性分析我院消化内科2007—2008年确诊的肝硬化患者80例,其中19例肝硬化PVT患者作为血栓组,61例肝硬化非血栓患者作为对照组,收集相关临床资料,对可能影响PVT形成的因素进行单因素分析和Logistic回归模型分析。结果Logistic回归模型分析结果显示,血浆D-二聚体、门静脉宽度（MPV）、血小板（PLT）是肝硬化患者PVT形成的独立危险因素（P值分别为0.003、0.012、0.036）。结论肝硬化患者应注意监测血浆D-二聚体、门静脉宽度、血小板等指标,以便早期预防和发现PVT的形成。     

Baseline and salt-stimulated paraoxonase and arylesterase activities in patients with chronic liver disease: relation to disease severity

Background: It has been recently reported that serum paraoxonase (PON1) and arylesterase (ARE) activities may be significantly reduced in patients with chronic liver disease. The aim of the study was to investigate the relations between serum PON1 and ARE activities and the degree of liver damage in patients with chronic liver injury.
Methods: We studied a total of 75 patients with chronic liver disease (50 patients with cirrhosis and 25 patients with chronic hepatitis) and 25 healthy comparison subjects. Baseline and salt-stimulated PON1 and ARE activities were determined in all study participants.
Results: Baseline and stimulated PON1 and ARE activities were significantly lower in patients with chronic liver disease than in controls. Cirrhotic patients in Child–Pugh classes B and C subgroups had significantly reduced PON1 and ARE activities compared with Child–Pugh class A patients (both P -values <0.01). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that serum ARE activity was the most efficient test for identifying the presence and severity of chronic liver injury.
Conclusion: Baseline and stimulated PON1 and ARE activities are reduced in patients with chronic liver disease. Serum ARE activity could be a suitable biomarker for the evaluation of the presence and severity of chronic liver damage.     

Effect of laparoscopic splenectomy on portal vein thrombosis and serum YKL-40 in patients with cirrhotic portal hypertension

Introduction and objectivesLaparoscopic splenectomy (LS) is a supportive intervention for cirrhotic patients. However, its efficacy for patients with cirrhotic portal hypertension (CPH) still needs clarification. Studies indicated YKL-40 might be effective targets for treatment of splenomegaly, however deeper insights are unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of LS on the formation of portal vein thrombosis (PVT) and serum levels of a fibrosis marker, YKL-40, in patients with CPH.Materials and methodsA total of 80 patients who underwent LS and 30 healthy controls were investigated in this study. Serum levels of YKL-40 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Demographic characteristics including age and gender were recorded. Clinicopathological and laboratory examinations included the severity of esophageal varices and the presence of viral hepatitis. The liver function was assessed according to the Child–Pugh classification. The incidence of PVT before and after operation was also monitored.ResultsSerum YKL-40 was significantly increased in CPH patients, and was associated with Child–Pugh score and HBV infection. Furthermore, elderly patients had an increased risk for postoperative PVT. Higher serum YKL-40 was observed in patients with thrombus at postoperative 7, 14 and 21 days than those without thrombus.ConclusionsLS could reduce serum YKL-40 levels and PVT progression and was a useful treatment for patients <40 years of age with CPH.     

Endoscopic thermal ablation therapies for hepatocellular carcinoma: a multi-center study

Aim:  The differing efficacies of radiofrequency ablation and microwave coagulation for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are unknown. Therefore, we performed a multi-center study to assess the factors contributing to survival and local recurrences of HCC among patients with solitary tumors who underwent endoscopic thermal ablation as their primary treatment.
Methods:  From six institutions, 391 patients with solitary HCC who were first treated by endoscopic thermal ablation were enrolled in this study and assessed retrospectively. We investigated age, gender, location of tumor, longest diameter of tumor, method of anesthesia, type of endoscope, method of thermal ablation, Child–Pugh classification, the Japan Integrated Staging score and the Cancer of the Liver Italian Program score. Statistical analyses were performed using univariate analysis with log–rank test and multivariate analysis with the Cox proportional hazards model.
Results:  On univariate analysis, advanced Child–Pugh score, advanced Italian Program score and local recurrences were significant predictors of poor survival. Young age (≤70), large tumor (>30 mm) and the use of the thoracoscopic approach were significant predictors for the development of local recurrence. On multivariate analysis, local anesthesia and advanced Child–Pugh score were independent predictors of poor survival. Young age, large tumor, local anesthesia and the use of the thoracoscopic approach were independent predictors for the development of local recurrence. The method of thermal ablation did not influence survival or local recurrence.
Conclusions:  Differences in the effect on survival and local recurrence between microwave and radiofrequency were not observed in this retrospective, multi-center study of endoscopic thermal ablation for HCC.     

Study of portal vein thrombosis in patients with idiopathic portal hypertension in Japan.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The aim of this study was to elucidate the incidence and clinical manifestations of portal vein thrombosis (PVT) in patients with idiopathic portal hypertension (IPH) in Japan during long-term follow-up. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Twenty-two patients with IPH were examined for PVT by sonography during a follow-up of 12+/-6 years. Clinical manifestations and patient outcome related to PVT were studied. Seventy patients with liver cirrhosis were examined by sonography as an incidence control of thrombosis. RESULTS: Nine IPH patients had portal thrombosis (9/22, 41%), a higher incidence than in liver cirrhosis patients (7/70, 10%). Those with thrombosis showed ascites, marked hypersplenism, and low serum albumin. Four patients with thrombosis died. Patients without thrombosis showed less clinical problems after long-term follow-up. Plasma antithrombin III and protein C activity decreased in almost half of the patients. However, there were no differences in these parameters between patients with and without thrombosis. CONCLUSIONS: In Japan, IPH patients had a high incidence of portal thrombosis, a significant factor for poor prognosis. Whether the management of PVT contributes to an improvement of a clinical course of IPH or not should be clarified in further study.     

Reduced platelet activation and platelet aggregation in patients with alcoholic liver cirrhosis

Results from previous studies regarding platelet function in liver cirrhosis are discordant. The aim was to investigate platelet activation and platelet aggregation in patients with alcoholic liver cirrhosis. We included 27 patients with alcoholic liver cirrhosis and 22 healthy individuals. A recently established flow cytometric approach was used to measure platelet activation and platelet aggregation independent of sample platelet count. Platelet aggregation was further investigated using light transmission aggregometry (LTA) (for platelet count >100 × 10⁹/L). Platelet agonists were adenosine diphosphate, thrombin receptor-activating peptide, arachidonic acid, collagen, and collagen-related peptide. Patients had lower median platelet count than healthy individuals, 125 × 10⁹/L (interquartile range [IQR] 90?185) versus 240 × 10⁹ (IQR 204?285), p < 0.001. Platelet activation levels in stimulated samples were lower in patients versus healthy individuals, e.g., after collagen-related peptide stimulation, the median percentage of platelets positive for activated glycoprotein IIb/IIIa was 85% (IQR 70–94) in patients versus 97% (IQR 94–99) in healthy individuals, p < 0.001; lower platelet activation capacity being associated with low platelet count and Child–Pugh class B/C cirrhosis. Flow cytometric platelet aggregation was reduced in patients for collagen-related peptide and for adenosine diphosphate, e.g., platelet aggregation (mean ± standard deviation) was 57% ± 4 in patients versus 70% ± 1 in healthy individuals for collagen-related peptide, p = 0.01. Light LTA showed reduced collagen-induced platelet aggregation in some patients compared with healthy individuals. In conclusion, platelet function was reduced in some patients with alcoholic liver cirrhosis and the severity was associated with platelet count and severity of liver cirrhosis.     

D-二聚体在诊断肝硬化门静脉血栓形成中的应用价值

目的探讨D-二聚体在肝硬化门静脉血栓形成中的预测价值。方法选我院自2005年1月至2008年12月所收肝硬化剔除不符合标准者共有83例入组,据螺旋CT增强扫描是否合并PVT分为血栓组和对照组,观测其D-二聚体水平。结果血栓组D-二聚体水平显著高于对照组。结论 D-二聚体水平异常升高可提示门静脉血栓的形成。     

肝硬化患者血浆可溶性血栓调节蛋白和D-二聚体的检测及意义

[目的]探讨肝硬化患者血浆可溶性血栓调节蛋白（sTM）和D-二聚体的变化及其临床意义。＼[方法]将82例肝硬化患者按肝功能Child-Pugh分级标准分为A、B、C3组,再根据门静脉系统有无血栓形成分为血栓组、非血栓组;选择40例健康体检者作为对照（D）组;检测各组血浆的sTM和D-二聚体水平。[结果]肝硬化A、B、C组的sTM和I）I二聚体水平显著高于D组（P〈0．05）,肝硬化血栓组的sTM和D-二聚体水平明显高于非血栓组（P〈0．05）,且随着肝功能Child-Pugh分级的恶化,sTM和I）I二聚体水平明显升高。[结论]肝硬化患者存在不同程度的血管内皮细胞损伤及凝血和纤溶系统的激活,血浆sTM、D-二聚体水平可作为判断肝硬化病情严重程度、预测门静脉系统血栓形成的指标。     

Increased plasma nitric oxide, L-arginine, and arginase-1 in cirrhotic patients with progressive renal dysfunction

Background and Aims:  Increased levels of nitric oxide (NO) are hypothesized to contribute to renal dysfunction in patients with decompensated cirrhosis. In this study, we examined whether splanchnic and/or peripheral NO levels and L-arginine (L-Arg) correlate with progressive renal dysfunction in cirrhotics.
Methods:  Serum NO metabolites (NOx) and L-Arg were measured in: controls ( n  = 10); organ donors ( n  = 12); compensated cirrhotics ( n  = 17), cirrhotics with ascites ( n  = 25), refractory ascites ( n  = 11) or hepatorenal syndrome type II (HRS) ( n  = 11) and chronic renal failure patients ( n  = 18).
Results:  Plasma NOx and L-Arg levels rose progressively with worsening renal function in decompensated cirrhotics. Both NOx and L-Arg levels were highest in patients with HRS ( P  < 0.001 and P  < 0.025, respectively). While there were no differences in NOx levels related to the site of sampling, L-Arg levels were lowest in hepatic venous blood. There were significant relationships of NOx and L-Arg with Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score and Child–Pugh scores ( P  < 0.04 and P  < 0.01, respectively). Multivariate analysis showed a significant relationship between NOx, L-Arg and HRS.
Conclusion:  Worsening renal function in decompensated cirrhosis is accompanied by progressive elevation in plasma NOx and L-Arg. These findings support the hypothesis that NO-mediated vasodilation is probably linked with the mechanism of progressive renal failure in decompensated cirrhotics.