INCREASED PROSTACYCLIN CONTENT IN GASTRIC-MUCOSA OF CIRRHOTIC-PATIENTS WITH PORTAL HYPERTENSIVE GASTROPATHY

Plasma levels and gastric mucosal contents of prostaglandin (PG) E(2) and prostacyclin were determined in cirrhotic patients with portal hyp ertensive gastropathy (PHG), in cirrhotic patients without PHG and in healthy controls, PGE(2) and 6-keto-PGF(1 alpha) (a stable metabolite of prostacyclin) levels were measured in 30 cirrhotic patients and 10 controls, using radioimmunoassay. Of 30 cirrhotics, 13 had PHG of the fundus and the corpus, Plasma concentrations of 6-keto-PGF(1 alpha) in the cirrhotic patients were significantly higher than in the controls (p < 0.01), but there was no significant difference between cirrhotic s and controls with regard to plasma levels of PGE(2). The gastric muc osal contents of 6-keto-PGF(1 alpha) in the fundus was significantly h igher in cirrhotics with PHG than those without PHG (p < 0.05) and con trols (p < 0.01), However, the gastric mucosal contents of PGE(2) in t he fundus were not significantly different in cirrhotics with and with out PHG. The gastric mucosal contents of 6-keto-PGF(1 alpha) significa ntly correlated to the plasma levels (r = 0.37, p < 0.05), but there w as no significant correlation between plasma levels and gastric mucosa l contents of PGE(2). Since prostacyclin has vasodilator and gastric a cid inhibitory effects, we speculate that high contents of prostacycli n in the gastric mucosa may have some role in the pathogenesis of PHG.