RESUMO
Doppler waveform pattern of both the radial and digital arteries were studied in 30 patients with liver cirrhosis, 17 of whom had ascites. 13 without ascites and 10 control subjects. Six parameters were evaluated as indices of blood flow velocity and peripheral vascular resistance [peak systole, peak diastole, ratio of pourcelot, pulsatility index, damping factor and reversal of flow]. The study showed that peripheral arterial blood flow in patients with liver cirrhosis is characterized by an increase in systolic peak velocity, a significant forward velocity component during diastole and a low reversal of flow, the pulsatility index and the damping factor were found to be lower in patients with liver cirrhosis relative to controls. These findings points to decreased peripheral vascular resistance, peripheral vasodilatation and increased diastolic runoff of blood as the major factors contributing to the hyperdynamic circulatory state frequently seen in patients with liver cirrhosis. The findings were more pronounced in non ascetic patients presumably due to the mechanical effect of asites in addition to the role of angiotensin II in counteracting the peripheral vasodilatation of ascetic patients