Volume 116, Issue 2, Pages 387-393 (February 1999) Altered adrenergic responsiveness of endothelium-denuded hepatic arteries and portal veins in patients with cirrhosis  Jörg Heller*, Michael Schepke*, Nina Gehnen*, Gerhard J. Molderings‡, Andreas Müller§, Jochen Erhard∥, Ulrich Spengler*, Tilman Sauerbruch*  Gastroenterology  Volume 116, Issue 2, Pages 387-393 (February 1999) DOI: 10.1016/S0016-5085(99)70136-8 Copyright © 1999 American Gastroenterological Association Terms and Conditions

Fig. 1 Cumulative concentration-response curves to methoxamine (10−8 to 10−3 mol/L) in isolated, endothelium-denuded hepatic artery rings of patients with cirrhosis (●) and organ donors (○). Contractions by methoxamine are expressed as the percentage of the contraction induced by 85 mmol/L KCl. Each point represents the mean ± SEM. In some cases, SEM is less than the size of the symbols. The curves to the data are significantly different (P < 0.0001; two-way ANOVA). Significant differences of the corresponding observed contractile responses at the different methoxamine concentrations between patients with cirrhosis and organ donors are indicated by asterisks (*P < 0.05, **P < 0.01; Student t test for unpaired data). Gastroenterology 1999 116, 387-393DOI: (10.1016/S0016-5085(99)70136-8) Copyright © 1999 American Gastroenterological Association Terms and Conditions

Fig. 2 Cumulative concentration-response curves to methoxamine (10−8 to 10−3 mol/L) in isolated, endothelium-denuded portal vein rings of patients with cirrhosis (●) and organ donors (○). Contractions by methoxamine are expressed as the percentage of the contraction induced by 85 mmol/L KCl. Each point represents the mean ± SEM. In some cases, SEM is less than the size of the symbols. The curves to the data are significantly different (P < 0.0001; two-way ANOVA). Significant differences of the corresponding observed contractile responses at the different methoxamine concentrations between patients with cirrhosis and organ donors are indicated by asterisks (*P < 0.05, **P < 0.01; Student t test for unpaired data). Gastroenterology 1999 116, 387-393DOI: (10.1016/S0016-5085(99)70136-8) Copyright © 1999 American Gastroenterological Association Terms and Conditions

Fig. 3 Cumulative concentration-response curves to isoproterenol (10−8 to 10−3 mol/L) in isolated, endothelium-denuded hepatic artery rings of patients with cirrhosis (●) and organ donors (○). Vessels were precontracted by 40 mmol/L KCl. Relaxations induced by isoproterenol are expressed as the percentage of the reduction in vascular tone induced by papaverine (100 μmol/L). Each point represents the mean ± SEM. In some cases, SEM is less than the size of the symbols. The curves to the data are significantly different (P < 0.0001; two-way ANOVA). Significant differences of the corresponding observed relaxing responses at the different isoproterenol concentrations between patients with cirrhosis and organ donors are indicated by asterisks (*P < 0.05, **P < 0.01; Student t test for unpaired data). Gastroenterology 1999 116, 387-393DOI: (10.1016/S0016-5085(99)70136-8) Copyright © 1999 American Gastroenterological Association Terms and Conditions

Fig. 4 Cumulative concentration-response curves to isoproterenol (10−8 to 10−3 mol/L) in isolated, endothelium-denuded portal vein rings of patients with cirrhosis (●) and organ donors (○). Vessels were precontracted by 40 mmol/L KCl. Relaxations induced by isoproterenol are expressed as the percentage of the reduction in vascular tone induced by papaverine (100 μmol/L). Each point represents the mean ± SEM. In some cases, SEM is less than the size of the symbols. The curves to the data are significantly different (P < 0.0001; two-way ANOVA). Significant differences of the corresponding observed relaxing responses at the different isoproterenol concentrations between patients with cirrhosis and organ donors are indicated by asterisks (*P < 0.05, **P < 0.01; Student t test for unpaired data). Gastroenterology 1999 116, 387-393DOI: (10.1016/S0016-5085(99)70136-8) Copyright © 1999 American Gastroenterological Association Terms and Conditions