Role of the endothelium on vasoactive agents in patients with liver cirrhosis.
BACKGROUND AND AIM: Patients with liver cirrhosis exhibit peripheral vasodilatation and decreased vasoconstrictor responsiveness. We investigated the role of the endothelium in these patients. METHODS: Nine patients with cirrhosis and seven controls were recruited. Responses to acetylcholine, bradykinin and sodium nitroprusside were obtained using forearm plethysmography. Responses to norepinephrine (100 ng/min) were obtained in the absence and combined presence of the cyclo-oxygenase inhibitor, indomethacin, and the nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibitor, N(G)-monomethyl-L-arginine. RESULTS: Responses to acetylcholine (area under curve: controls vs cirrhotic, 10326 +/- 1400 vs 18490 +/- 2787 units; P = 0.036), but not to bradykinin (15619 +/- 3557 vs 12415 +/- 3823 units) or sodium nitroprusside, were significantly higher in patients with cirrhosis. Responses to norepinephrine were significantly dampened in cirrhotics (percentage increase in forearm blood flow; controls vs cirrhotics, -50.50 +/- 2.69 vs-26.39 +/- 5.44; P = 0.036) but this blunted response was no longer apparent following the administration of both blockers. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that: (i) there is an increased response to acetylcholine but not to bradykinin; and (ii) that an enhanced production of prostacyclin and/or NO is responsible for the dampened response to norepinephrine.