J Korean Radiol Soc.  2007 Apr;56(4):355-360. 10.3348/jkrs.2007.56.4.355.

The Value of Renal Artery Resistive Indices: Association with Esophageal Variceal Bleeding in Patients with Alcoholic Cirrhosis

• Byun JN
• Kim DH

• KMID: 2103860
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3348/jkrs.2007.56.4.355

Abstract

PURPOSE
To determine whether resistive indices of the renal artery (RIR) or the splenic artery (RIS) can be used as predictors of bleeding in patients with alcoholic liver cirrhosis.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
According to esophageal variceal bleeding episodes, 33 patients with cirrhosis were divided into two groups, a bleeder group (n=17) and a non-bleeder group (n=16). These two groups were compared with respect to five variables (age, spleen size, Child's score, RIS, and RIR). Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for the detection of bleeders were calculated using a cutoff value of 0.7 for RIR.
RESULTS
The mean values of variables were higher for bleeders than for non-bleeders. With the exception of age, four variables were significantly correlated with bleeding (r=0.43 for spleen size; r=0.36 for Child's score; r=0.37 for RIS; p<0.05, respectively; r=0.63 for RIR, p<0.01). Only RIR was found to be significantly a predictive variable for bleeders (adjusted Odds ratio=19.9; 95% confidence interval: 1.3-306, p<0.05) when the RIR was more than 0.7. RIR had a sensitivity of 88.3% and a specificity of 75% with an accuracy of 81.8% at a cutoff value of 0.7 for identifying bleeders.
CONCLUSION
A high RIR value will be useful in predicating esophageal variceal bleeding in patients with alcoholic liver cirrhosis.

Keyword

Ultrasound (US), Doppler studies; Liver cirrhosis; Esophagus, varices

MeSH Terms

Alcoholics*
Esophageal and Gastric Varices*
Fibrosis
Hemorrhage
Humans
Liver Cirrhosis
Liver Cirrhosis, Alcoholic*
Renal Artery*
Sensitivity and Specificity
Spleen
Splenic Artery