Retrospective analysis of ultrasound and dopplerographic parameters of liver hemodynamics in prognosis of mortality in patients with severe concomitant injury

Purpose. According to the assessment of liver hemodynamics, to determine the criteria for the probability of death in patients with severe concomitant injury and to establish the decisive time range in which these indicators are prognostic.Material and methods. The analysis of ultrasound (US) indicators in 57 patients with severe concomitant trauma was carried out in order to identify criteria for the probability of death and determine the time range in which these indicators have a prognostic character. All patients were divided into two groups: the first group of 40 surviving patients; the second of 17 dead. For comparison, three values were taken for each ultrasound indicator on the 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th days from the moment of admission to the hospital. Comparison of the first and second groups of patients by these parameters revealed signs characterizing the violation of liver hemodynamics. The Mann-Whitney test, correlation analysis and stepwise logistic regression were used to study the relationships. Differences were considered statistically significant at a significance level of p < 0.05. Correlation was considered strong when R > 0.5. The best reliable regression model was chosen according to the highest value of the Akaike criterion.Results. In the first three days after trauma in patients of the first and second groups, the most significant were such ultrasound signs as a decrease in the diameter of the own hepatic artery (OHA), a decrease in the linear blood flow velocity (LBFV) along the SPA to 27–38 cm/s, and a decrease in volumetric blood flow in OHA, an increase in the index of resistance (IR) in OHA of more than 0.7, in combination, indicate liver dysfunction in patients in a state of traumatic shock. From the 5th day in the second group of patients, an increase in LBFV in the OHA (100–135 cm/s), an increase of 0.70–0.84, a decrease in volumetric blood flow less than 270 ml/min indicate violations of liver hemodynamics during the formation of organ dysfunction. On the 5–7th day, due to edema of the liver parenchyma against the background of an increase in the size of the liver and spleen and the formation of portal hypertension, arterialization of blood circulation occurs, which is characterized by a significant increase in LBFV in the OHA, a decrease in LBFV and volumetric blood flow in the portal vein. The third-fifth day after the injury can be considered a turning point – the correlation of most of the indicators with the fact of death and significant differences in the criterion in 9 out of 11 indicators indicate significant differences in all indicators in patients of the first and second groups. At the same time, not only dopplerographic indicators of hepatic blood flow, but also linear indicators of the size of the liver, spleen, signs of portal hypertension characterize the severity of the patient’s condition. Findings. 1). Carrying out an ultrasound of the liver with the use of Doppler ultrasound allows in the first 3 days from the moment of injury to conclude that there is liver dysfunction against the background of traumatic shock. 2). Statistical analysis of Doppler parameters of liver hemodynamics makes it possible to identify patients with a poor prognosis, severe liver dysfunction in the first 3–5 days from the moment of injury, as well as with developing multiple organ failure. 3). The obtained ultrasound results, indicating liver dysfunction in the early post-traumatic period, are confirmed by autopsy data.