RESUMO
Background and aim: Urotensin II [U-II], a somatostatin-like cyclic peptide, was recently identified as the most potent human vasoconstrictor peptide. We investigated whether serum U-II could be considered a marker for portal hypertension [PHT] and its complications in patients with hepatitis C virus [HCV]-related cirrhosis
Patients and methods: After clinical, ultrasonographic, and endoscopic assessments and exclusion of patients with hypertension or diabetes and cardiac or renal comorbidities, 75 patients with HCV-related cirrhosis were classified into three equal groups. Group A included 25 patients with PHT presenting with bleeding esophageal varices [EV]. Group B included 25 patients with PHT with no history of bleeding EV. Group C included 25 patients without PHT or EV. In addition, 25 apparently healthy volunteers were included as controls [group D]. All participants were investigated for liver tests, Child-Pugh scoring, and serum U-II
Results: Serum U-II was significantly higher in cirrhotic patients with PHT with and without bleeding EV compared with the other groups; also, it correlated with the severity of liver disease [P<0.0001]. U-II, at a cutoff value of 2.07 ng/ml or more, could predict the presence of PHT with 98% sensitivity and 100% specificity [P<0.05], whereas at a cutoff value of 2.51 ng/ml or more, it could predict the presence of bleeding EV with 96% sensitivity and 93.3% specificity [P<0.05]
Conclusion: Serum U-II in HCV-related cirrhosis could be a simple and easy predictor of the presence of PHT and bleeding episodes in patients with EV