Hepatic artery resistance before and after standard meal in subjects with diseased and healthy livers.

PURPOSE: To assess fasting and postprandial resistive index (RI) in subjects with healthy and diseased livers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Subjects with healthy (n = 10) and diseased (n = 33) livers underwent fasting and postprandial Doppler ultrasonography of the hepatic artery. Findings were compared with parameters for liver disease and Child class A-C and Child score of 5-15. RESULTS: The mean postprandial RI increase in healthy subjects was 42% (all, > or = 20%) and in patients with liver disease was 7% (six, > or = 20%). Patients with class A disease (n = 12) had a significantly greater increase in post-prandial RI (13%) than those with class B or C disease (3%) (P < .05). All patients with class C disease (n = 9) had an increased postprandial RI of less than 10%. The 13 patients with at least 10% increase in postprandial RI had less severe liver disease (Child score, 6.1 +/- 1.3 [standard deviation]) than the 20 patients with less than 10% increase (Child score, 8.4 +/- 1.7) (P < .01). CONCLUSION: A normal marked increase in postprandial RI is generally not seen in patients with severe liver disease.