Table 2

Haemodynamics of 142 cirrhotic patients without hepatic encephalopathy stratified according to the modified Child-Turcotte criteria

Variable Child class A (n=41) Child class B (n=57) Child class C (n=44)
Systemic haemodynamics3-152
Mean arterical blood pressure (mm Hg)94 (69–122)87 (68–120)* 80 (60–112)
Heart rate (beats/min)73 (54–108)79 (54–104)* 85 (60–108)
Cardiac index (l/min/m2)3.3 (2.1–5.1)3.7 (2.1–5.7)4.3 (1.9–6.5)
Central circulation time (seconds) (>14)15.6 (10.0–23.4)13.1 (7.9–21.8)** 11.2 (7.3–21.1)
Central and arterial blood volume (ml/kg ideal body weight) (>24)23.7 (16.0–37.6)22.8 (16.1–34.7)21.1 (13.8–31.2)*
Systemic vascular resistance (dyn/s/cm5) (>1600)1323 (578–2424)1102 (565–2370)** 864 (431–1493)
Plasma volume (l) (2.70–3.80)3.63 (1.80–6.16)3.91 (2.00–6.27)3.98 (2.39–5.70)
Splanchnic characteristics3-152
Hepatic venous pressure gradient (mm Hg) (<5)11.6 (3.0–21.0)15.2 (5.0–29.0)** 17.6 (5.0–28.0)
Postsinusoidal resistance (dyn/s/cm5) (<360)943 (236–3644)1164 (330–4343)1448 (232–4432)**
Hepatic blood flow (l/min) (0.5–2.3)1.13 (0.44–2.39)1.30 (0.33–2.87)1.15 (0.35–2.63)
ICG clearance (l/min) (0.30–0.70)0.30 (0.09–0.60)0.23 (0.05–0.60)** 0.16 (0.01–0.68)
Galactose elimination capacity (mmol/min) (F >14; M >17)1.95 ( 0.93–2.86)1.55 (0.78–2.60)** 1.28 (0.01–2.14)
  • Results are expressed as mean (range).

  • Significance of differences between patient groups: *p<0.05v Child class A; **p<0.01 v Child class A;p<0.005 v Child classes A and B.

  • 3-152 Normal values are given in parentheses.