gtag('event', 'click', { 'event_category': 'PDF Download' });
was successfully added to your cart.

Basket

Health Professionals BlogImagingLiver Transplantation

No need for fasting prior to doppler ultrasound of pediatric liver transplants: a self-controlled study

Title: No need for fasting prior to doppler ultrasound of pediatric liver transplants: a self-controlled study

Source: Pediatric Transplantation 2023, Oct 10. [E-publication]

Follow this link

Date of publication: October 2023

Publication type: Article

Abstract: Background: Children frequently undergo routine Doppler-ultrasound (DUS) after liver transplantation (LT) for which they are fasted, but this may cause hunger and discomfort.

Objective: To determine if DUS measurements, with focus on the portal vein (PV), are affected by prandial changes, and if this affects distress and feasibility of the DUS.

Materials and methods: Children were prospectively included to undergo a pre- and postprandial DUS on the same day at 6 months after LT. Pre- and anastomotic PV peak systolic velocity (PSV), and hepatic artery and hepatic vein DUS measurements were obtained. Pre- and postprandial measurements, and relative postprandial change of PV velocity ratio (VR) compared to PV anastomotic PSV, were compared using paired-sample t-tests and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC). Obscuration by bowel gas, difficulty of DUS, and impact of fasting were assessed using 5-point rating scales.

Results: Twenty-eight children (median age 3.5 years, IQR 1.6-10.8) were included; four were subsequently excluded because they were not fasted (N = 2) or withdrew consent for the second DUS (N = 2). Measurements between pre- and postprandial DUS, and relative postprandial change of VR compared to PV anastomotic PSV, were not significantly different (p > .05). Test consistency was good (ICC = 0.69, 95% CI = 0.29-0.67) for PV anastomotic PSV, and excellent (95% CI = 0.61-0.93) for PV VR. Obscuration by bowel gas or ease of DUS did not change after eating (p > .05). The majority (16/28, 57.2%) found fasting difficult, and several (13/28, 46.4%) got upset when fasted.

Conclusion: Children with an LT do not need to be fasted for routine DUS, which may decrease the burden of the examination.

Leave a Reply

© 2019 Children's Liver Disease Foundation. All Rights Reserved.