Abdominal hemodynamics in patients with visceroptosis

Background Abdominal circulation plays the important physiological role for structure and function of the digestive system, maintenance of nutrient homeostasis. Purpose To study the features of abdominal hemodynamics in patients with visceroptosis. Methods We studied 69 patients (mean age 22.28±3.7 years) with splanchnoptosis (visceroptosis) and 52 age- and sex- matched patients without splanchnoptosis (controls). Exclusion criteria: a history of digestive system surgery of taking blood circulation activating drugs. Doppler ultrasonography of the common hepatic artery, splenic artery, superior mesenteric artery, portal vein was performed on an empty stomach and 30 minutes after a food sample (standardized for proteins (14 g), fats (10 g) and carbohydrates (45 g)) using the Sonoace-8000 ultrasound scanner (Medison, South Korea). The data were analyzed using the Statistica-6 packages. Results There were no differences in hemodynamic parameters of fasting abdominal blood flow (ABF). After a food testing, in the postprandial period the ABF in all vessels in patients with splanchnoptosis was lower than in controls: the portal vein blood flow (BF) 1124,0 [1030,0–1419,0] ml/min vs 1373,0 [1136,0–1567,5] ml/min respectively (U=433,5; Z=−2,1; p=0,0342); the common hepatic artery BF 341,0 [295,0–394,0] ml/min vs 412,0 [331,0–521,0] ml/min respectively (U=335,0; Z=−2,3; p=0,0218); the splenic artery BF 396,0 [292,0–538,0] ml/min vs 502,0 [394,0–594,0] ml/min respectively (U=328,0; Z=−2,1; p=0,0399); the superior mesenteric artery BF 988,0 [837,0–1272,0] ml/min vs 1136,5 [992,0–1465,0] ml/min respectively (U=1625,5; Z=−2,2; p=0,0314). Changes in ABF were correlated with splanchnoptosis: the portal vein BF with any ptosis (rs=−0,21; p<0.05), the common hepatic artery BF with gastroptosis (rs=−0,38; p<0.05), the superior mesenteric artery BF with colonoptosis (rs=−0,86; p<0.05). The peripheral vascular resistance was correlated with the common hepatic artery BF (rs=−0,46; p<0.05), with the splenic artery BF (rs=−0,33; p<0.05) and with the superior mesenteric artery BF (rs=−0.79; p<0.05). Conclusions Patients with splanchnoptosis in the postprandial period have low volumetric BF in abdominal aorta vessels. This can be associated with the length of the mesenteric vessels, which undergoes the greatest changes in splanchnoptosis. Food testing reveals latent BF deficit in patients with splanchnoptosis. FUNDunding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: None.