Doppler ultrasound measurements of splanchnic haemodynamics in patients with active and inactive ulcerative colitis and healthy controls
| SMA (Vmean, cm/s) | IMA (Vmean, cm/s) | PV (Vmean, cm/s) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baseline | Postprandial | Baseline | Postprandial | Baseline | Postprandial | |||
| Controls (n=13) | 28 (7) | 47 (18) | 15 (3) | 19 (5) | 18 (3) | 23 (3) | ||
| Ulcerative colitis | ||||||||
| Remission (n=29) | 40 (13)* | 85 (30)* | 27 (9)* | 32 (15)* | 20 (7) | 30 (7) | ||
| Moderate activity (n=21) | 50 (19)* † | 109 (31)* † | 36 (12)* 2-153 | 42 (10)* † | 29 (15) | 36 (12) | ||
| Severe activity (n=26) | 51 (21)* † | 106 (34)* † | 45 (13)* ‡ | 48 (20)* † | 39 (22)¶ | 46 (15)¶ | ||
Values are expressed as means (SD). Disease activity was graded following the Truelove index. All values for superior mesenteric artery (SMA) and inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) were significantly higher in patients with ulcerative colitis than in healthy controls (*SMA p<0.05, IMA p<0.005). Patients with severe and moderate activity had higher fasting and postprandial values for SMA and IMA-Vmean than patients in remission (†p<0.05). Fasting IMA-Vmean increased gradually with disease activity (‡p<0.05 severe v moderate, p<0.001 severe v remission;
↵2-153 p<0.01 moderatev remission). Mean portal flow velocity was significantly increased in patients with severe disease activity during fasting (¶p<0.05 v remission), but especially in the postprandial state (p<0.01v remission and moderate activity).
PV, portal vein; Vmean, mean velocity per unit time.