The Effect of Splenectomy on the Reversal of Cirrhosis: a Prospective Study.
Gastroenterol Res Pract 2019;
2019:5459427. [PMID:
31093275 PMCID:
PMC6476033 DOI:
10.1155/2019/5459427]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2018] [Revised: 02/13/2019] [Accepted: 02/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background
Studies have demonstrated that liver fibrosis can be reversed by medication treatments. After splenectomy, cirrhosis patients have short-term changes in several serum markers for cirrhosis and liver stiffness.
Aims
To investigate the effect of splenectomy on the severity of cirrhosis.
Methods
A total of 62 patients with cirrhosis and portal hypertension receiving splenectomy from December 2014 to July 2017 were enrolled. The degree of cirrhosis was preoperatively and postoperatively evaluated by serum markers, including hyaluronan (HA), laminin, amino-terminal propeptide of type III procollagen (PIIINP), type IV collagen (C-IV), liver stiffness (FibroScan), and liver volume.
Results
HA levels significantly increased at 1 week and 1 month postoperation (both P < 0.05), whereas the levels of PIIINP and C-IV significantly decreased from 1 month to 12 months postoperation (all P < 0.05). In addition, elastography examination demonstrated that the FibroScan score significantly reduced from 1 month to 24 months postoperation as compared with the baseline level (all P < 0.05). CT scan showed that the liver volume significantly increased at 6 months postoperation (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the alteration trends of these serum markers and the FibroScan score were further confirmed by the multivariate linear regression.
Conclusions
These observations suggested that splenectomy may result in long-term reversal of cirrhosis.
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