Table 1 Patient and subject characteristics.

Variable	Patient with cirrhosis (n = 8)	Healthy controls (n = 8)
Age (y)	58 (2)	59 (3)
Sex (M:F)	7:1	7:1
Aetiology of liver disease:
Alcoholic	8	–
Child Pugh Score	9 (1)	–
Child Grade
A	1
B	3	–
C	4	–
Serum albumin (g/l)	32 (3)	–
Serum bilirubin (mmol/l)	46 (9)	–
Serum creatinine (μmol/l)	82 (6)
Prothrombin time (s)	14 (1)	–
Oesophageal varices	8	–
Ascites	8	–
Baseline blood pressure
Systolic (mm Hg)	138 (5)	143 (6)
Diastolic (mm Hg)	76 (4)	81 (3)
Baseline heart rate (/min)	89 (4)	59 (3)*
Resting forearm blood flow (ml/100 ml tissue/min)	2.4 (0.3)	2.1 (0.1)

Results are expressed as mean (SEM).

*p<0.05 versus controls.