Sildenafil does not influence hepatic venous pressure gradient in patients with cirrhosis

Table 1 Patient characteristics and clinical data (mean ± SD)

Characteristics	Data
Age (yr)	54 ± 8
Weight (kg)	75 ± 16
Height (cm)	175 ± 7
Female/Male	5/5
Aetiology (ALC/AIH/PBC)	8/1/1
Varices, present	9
Bleeding, earlier	5
Ascites, present	8
Child Pugh (A/B/C)	1/2/7
GEC (µmol/kg per min)	20 ± 4
INR	1.7 ± 0.5
Bilirubin (mmol/L)	64 ± 50
Albumin (g/L)	24 ± 5

ALC: Alcoholic cirrhosis; AIH: Autoimmune hepatitis; PBC: Primary biliary cirrhosis. INR: International normalization ratio; GEC: Galactose elimination capacity, normal > 32 μmol/kg per min.

Table 2 Effect of 50 mg sildenafil (mean ± SD, n = 10)

	Baseline	80 min after
MAP (mmHg)	77 ± 7	66 ± 121
HF (beats/min)	83 ± 13	85 ± 11
RA (mmHg)	5 ± 1	6 ± 2
Hepatic blood flow (L/min)	1.14 ± 0.71	1.14 ± 0.94
VO2 (mmol/min)	2.3 ± 0.6	2.5 ± 1.2
Wedged pressure (mmHg)	29 ± 6	27 ± 6
Free pressure (mmHg)	12 ± 6	11 ± 5
Gradient (mmHg)	18 ± 2	16 ± 2

¹P = 0.003, vs baseline. VO₂: Splanchnic oxygen consumption. MAP: Mean arterial pressure; RA: Right atrial pressure.