Jonel Trebicka, Matthias von Heydebrand, Jennifer Lehmann, Flemming Tofteng, Troels Busk, Helle Lone Jensen, Johan Rohde, Thomas Reiberger, Christian Mortensen, Robert Schierwagen, Sabine Klein, Søren Møller, Flemming Bendtsen, Aleksander Krag
BACKGROUND & AIMS: Non-selective beta-blockers (NSBB) are first choice for prevention of variceal bleeding. But possible deleterious effects in refractory ascites and frequent non-response are clinical drawbacks. Since levels of vasoactive proteins in antrum mucosa reflect vascular dysfunction in cirrhosis, these expression levels might also reflect hemodynamic response to NSBB. METHODS: Biopsies from the gastric and duodenal mucosa of 25 patients with cirrhosis were collected and the hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG) was measured before and after an acute propranolol challenge...
June 2016: Journal of Hepatology