Renal Doppler ultrasonography and its relationship with the renal functionin patients with liver cirrhosis

BACKGROUND: To relate the renal hemodynamic changes, as assessed by Doppler ultrasonography, with the development of ascites, renal function, and endo genous vasoactive systems in patients with liver cirrhosis, PATIENTS AND METHOD: 60 cirrhotic patients were studied prospectively, 31 o f these compensated and 29 with ascites, The renal resistive index, renal f unction and plasmatic levels of renin, aldosterone, noradrenaline and ADH a ctivity were determined, RESULTS: The renal resistive index was significantly higher in the cirrhoti c patients with ascites (0.68) than in the compensated cirrhotics (0.63) an d was significantly correlated with the serum levels of creatinine, urinary excretion of sodium, plasmatic renin activity and plasmatic concentration of aldosterone. CONCLUSIONS: The renal resistive index, study by means of Doppler ultrasono graphy, shows progressively increased levels with the evolution of the dise ase, with the deterioration of the renal function and with the activation o f the endogenous vasoactive systems.