Summary
Villus atrophy in celiac sprue determines not only a great reduction of the intestinal absorptive surface, but also destroys the underlying microcirculation which depends on the small artery of the villus and the rich network of capillaries. This may result in a significant shortening of the mesenteric vascular bed.
We describe three cases of celiac sprue in which duplex Doppler ultrasound flowmetry revealed a high blood flow velocity in the superior mesenteric vein during the acute stage of the disease. A gluten withdrawal diet produced in all cases a restoration of the normal thickness of the mucosa, together with a significant decrease of blood flow velocity in the superior mesenteric vein.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Rubin CE, Brandborg LL, Phelps PC, Taylor HC: Studies of coeliac disease. The apparent identical and specific nature of the duodenal and proximal jejunal lesion in coeliac disease and idiopathic sprue. Gastroenterology 38:28–32, 1960
Holmes R, Hourihane D. O'B, Booth CC: Dissecting microscope appearances of jejunal biopsy specimens from patients with “idiopathic steatorrhea. Lancet 1:81–88, 1961
Holmes R, Hourihane D.O'B, Booth CC: The mucosa of small intestine. Postgrad Med J 37:717–723, 1961
Stewart JS, Pollock DJ, Hoffbrand AV: A study of proximal and distal intestinal structure and absorptive function in idiopathic steatorrhea. Q J Med 36:425–428, 1967
Granger DN: Intestinal microcirculation and transmucosal fluid transport. Am J Physiol 240:G343-G347, 1981
Gill RW: Pulsed Doppler with B-mode imaging for quantitative blood flow measurement. Ultrasound Med Biol 5:223–235, 1979
Ohnishi K, Saito M, Koen H, Nakayama T, Nomura F, Okuda K: Pulsed Doppler flow as a criterion of portal venous velocity: Comparison with cineangiographic measurements. Radiology 154:495–498, 1985
Zoli M, Marchesini G, Cordiani MR, Pisi P Brunori A, Trono A, Pisi E: Echo-Doppler measurement of splanchnic blood flow in control and cirrhotic subjects. J Clin Ultrasound 14:429–435, 1986
Moriyasu F, Ban N, Nishida O, Nakamura T, Miyake T, Uchino H, Kanematsu Y, Koizumi S: Clinical application of an ultrasonic duplex system in the quantitative measurement of portal blood flow. J Clin Ultrasound 14:579–588, 1986
Patriquin H, Lafortune M, Burns PN, Dauzat M: Duplex Doppler examination in portal hypertension: Technique and anatomy. Am J Roentgenol 149:71–76, 1987
Gill RW: Measurement of blood flow by Ultrasound: Accuracy and sources of error. Ultrasound Med Biol 11:625–641, 1985
Dauzat M, Pomier Layrargues G: Portal vein measurements using pulsed Doppler and electromagnetic flowmetry in dogs: A comparative study. Gastroenterology 96:913–919, 1989
Barbara L: The value of Doppler US in the study of hepatic hemodynamics. Consensus conference (Bologna, Italy, 12 September 1989). Hepatology 10:353–355, 1990
Bolondi L, Gaiani S, Brignola C, Campieri M, Rigamonti A, Zironi G, Gionchetti P, Belloli C, Miglioli M, Barbara L: Changes in splanchnic hemodynamics in inflammatory bowel disease. Scand J Gastroenterol 1992 (in press)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bolondi, L., Li Bassi, S., Gaiani, S. et al. Changes in mesenteric venous flow due to celiac sprue. Digest Dis Sci 37, 925–928 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01300392
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01300392