Portal vein velocity by duplex Doppler ultrasound as an indication of the clinical severity of portal hypertension.

The portal vein (PV) velocity was measured by duplex Doppler ultrasound to predict the severity of portal hypertension. A total of 143 patients with liver cirrhosis were studied from January 1991 to June 1992. There were 104 males and 39 females with a mean age of 52 years old (range 23-76). The maximal PV velocity was significantly lower in patients with moderate and severe varices, cardiac varices, red-color signs on varix, esophagitis and congestive gastropathy. The patients with bleeding esophageal varices or upper gastrointestinal tract were found to have a significantly maximal PV velocity. Comparing patients without ascites or victims with controllable ascites. The maximal PV velocity in Child's C or mortality cases was also significantly lower than that in Child's A, Child's B and surviving cases. If we set the cut off value of PV velocity at 15 cm/sec, we could get the accuracy of 67.8%, 62.2%, 67.8% and 73.5% in the prediction of massive ascites, varices severity, Child C class and mortality respectively. In conclusion, PV velocity may reflect the severity of clinical portal hypertension in cirrhotic patients; it could be a prognostic factor in cirrhotic patients.