MORPHOMETRY OF SINUSOIDS AND PORTAL-HYPERTENSION IN NONALCOHOLIC CIRRHOSIS

To examine whether structural changes in hepatocytes and/or sinusoidal areas contribute to the portal hypertensive state in non-alcoholic ci rrhosis, a new method of morphometric analysis using a computer-aided color image analyzer was performed in 16 patients with non-alcoholic c irrhosis, which allowed quantitative evaluation of various morphometri c parameters of sinusoids and hepatocytes. The sinusoidal pressure gra dient was estimated theoretically with these and clearance parameters using Poiseulle's equation and compared with the hepatic venous pressu re gradient measure by hepatic vein cannulation. A significant relatio nship was found between the hepatic venous pressure gradient and sinus oidal volumetric ratio (r=-0.598, p<0.05), but not between mean hepato cyte volume and sinusoidal volumetric ratio (r=0.416, NS), or the hepa tic venous pressure gradient (r=0.371, NS). The estimated sinusoidal p ressure gradient showed a significant relationship with the hepatic ve nous pressure gradient (r=0.637, p<0.01). However, the absolute values of the former were much lower than those of the latter. Therefore, in non-alcoholic cirrhosis, although sinusoidal stenosis not caused by h epatocyte swelling may lead to increased vascular resistance, other fa ctors must also play a significant role. (C) Journal of Hepatology.