Renal arterial resistance index among subjects with liver cirrhosis in a Nigerian population.

Abstract

To describe the relationship between renal artery resistance index (RARI) and liver function based on Child-Pugh system among patients with liver cirrhosis (LC) in Southwest Nigeria. About 50 patients with LC and 50 controls were consecutively recruited into this prospective comparative case control study. Each LC patient was classed based on Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) system after relevant tests. Subjects underwent abdominal ultrasonography with triplex Doppler examination of the right kidney to obtain RARI. About 50 cirrhotic and 50 controls completed the study. Age range of cirrhotic subjects was 19-69 years (mean ± SD=47.5 ± 13.3) while that of controls was 18-69 years (46.9 ± 15.0). RARI was higher (P = <.001) in patients with LC (0.68) than in controls (0.57). RARI was also significantly higher (P = <.001) in cirrhotic subjects in CTP class C (0.72) than in those in classes B (0.66) and A (0.58). Additionally, RARI showed significant correlation with CTP total score (r=.662; P=<.001), serum bilirubin (r=.297; P =.036), serum albumin (r=-.494; P=<.001), serum sodium (r=-.369; P =.008), Model for End Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score (r=.316; P =.026) and MELD-Na score (r=.470; P =.001). RARI showed no significant relationship with serum creatinine (r=.110; P =.445) and blood urea nitrogen (r=.112; P =.437). Liver cirrhosis is associated with renovascular changes which manifest as increased resistance in the renal arteries. RARI is a useful noninvasive tool for the assessment of these changes and should be done routinely in the evaluation of patients with LC.