Effects of Various Stages of NonAlcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Associated with Elevated Liver Enzyme (AST/ALT) Upon Hemodynamic Portal Vein

The purpose of this study is to investigate the association of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and portal vein doppler indices. This assay may be useful in evaluating the natural course of NAFLD and monitor treatment efficacy on follow-up.

This case control study was performed in 54 patients with NAFLD and 54 normal healthy adults who served as the control group. The patients presented with elevated liver enzymes levels (ALT/AST) and hyper echogenic livers in the B-mode ultrasonography examination. After an 8-hour fast, duplex doppler ultrasonography were performed, and portal vein pulsatility index (VPI), and mean portal velocity (MPV) and portal diameter (PD) were measured.

VPI and MPV and PD values were 0.3931±0.09, 10.44± 1.65 cm/second and 9.5±1.65 respectively, in patients with NAFLD and 0.68±0.06, 17.09±1.72 cm/second and 9.3±1.6 in the control group and these parameters were significantly lower in the NAFLD group (P< 0.01). We found no significant difference between the two case and control groups, considering PD (P = 0.05).

In our study, VPI and MPV were significantly lower in patients with NAFLD than in the control group, which could have been caused by impaired vascular compliance due to fat deposition in hepatocytes. it is important to find less invasive techniques such as described in this study to detect NAFLD.