Increased prostacyclin content in gastric mucosa of cirrhotic patients with portal hypertensive gastropathy

Plasma levels and gastric mucosal contents of prostaglandin (PG) E₂ and prostacyclin were determined in cirrhotic patients with portal hypertensive gastropathy (PHG), in cirrhotic patients without PHG and in healthy controls. PGE₂ and 6-keto-PGF_1α (a stable metabolite of prostacyclin) levels were measured in 30 cirrhotic patients and 10 controls, using radioimmunoassay. Of 30 cirrhotics, 13 had PHG of the fundus and the corpus. Plasma concentrations of 6-keto-PGF_1α in the cirrhotic patients were significantly higher than in the controls (p < 0.01), but there was no significant difference between cirrhotics and controls with regard to plasma levels of PGE₂. The gastric mucosal contents of 6-keto-PGF_1α in the fundus was significantly higher in cirrhotics with PHG than those without PHG (p < 0.05) and controls (p < 0.01). However, the gastric mucosal contents of PGE₂ in the fundus were not significantly different in cirrhotics with and without PHG. The gastric mucosal contents of 6-keto-PGF_1α significantly correlated to the plasma levels (r = 0.37, p < 0.05), but there was no significant correlation between plasma levels and gastric mucosal contents of PGE₂. Since prostacyclin has vasodilator and gastric acid inhibitory effects, we speculate that high contents of prostacyclin in the gastric mucosa may have some role in the pathogenesis of PHG.