ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: A long-term study of the prehepatic portal hypertension model by triple stenosing ligation of the portal vein in the rat. METHOD: A cluster analysis of the animals in the different evolutive stages of portal hypertension (1 1/2, 6, 12 and 14 months) has been carried out. This analysis has made it possible to identify three homogeneous groups (A, B and C) in relationship to the liver weight. RESULTS: The animals with liver atrophy (group C) show a decrease of body, splenic and testicular weights as well as a higher development of the portosystemic collateral circulation in relation to the A and B groups. CONCLUSION: The percentage of animals belonging to the group C decrease progressively during the evolution of portal hypertension and those animals corresponding to the group A, in which is superior the liver weight, increase, while the B group does not change.
