[Concentrations of amino acids in the blood of different vessels of patients with cirrhosis of the liver during and after the introduction of a porto-caval anastomosis (author's transl)].

Abstract

In patients with liver cirrhosis the concentrations of amino acids were measured by ion exchange chromatography in the serum of blood samples taken from various vessels during and after the performance of a porto-caval anastomosis. Statistical evaluation was carried out with a nonparametric test. In three female and eight male patients, amino acids were determined intra operationem in blood samples of the following vessels (n = number of blood samples): arm vein (n = 8), arteria femoralis (n =2), vena cava (n = 7), vena portae (n = p) and aorta abdominalis (n = 5). With exception of ornithine (aorta abdominalis versus vena cava), no statistically significant differences in the concentrations of amino acids were observed in the various blood vessels. One to three years after the introduction of the porto-caval shunt, amino acid concentrations were measured in blood from the arm vein and arteria femoralis in four female and five male patients. The concentrations of glutamic acid, phenylalanine and lysine were significantly higher in blood from the arm vein than in blood of the arteria femoralis. The concentrations of valine, leucine and isoleucine were markedly lower in patients with liver cirrhosis than in normal persons. On the basis of the present findings and of the results obtained with normal subjects, it may be concluded that porto-caval anastomosis does not exert a noticeable effect on the metabolism of amino acids in patients with liver cirrhosis.