【Abstract】ObjectiveTo prospectively study the effects of recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) on the changes of liver function and nutritional metabolism in postoperative patients with cirrhosis and portal hypertension. MethodsFortyeight cases with liver cirrhosis and portal hypertension who were collected from February 2003 to January 2004 were randomly divided into 2 groups (24 patients in each group). All patients were given the low calorie parenteral nutrition support and exogenous albumen after operations. Patients in the study group received rhGH from the second day after operations and physiological saline was used in the control group instead. The effects were evaluated in terms of protein metabolism, liver function, blood glucose level at different phases before and after the intervene. Death rates of in patients were also recorded in both groups. ResultsThe rising amplitude of albumen in the study group had been significantly larger than that of the control group from the seventh day after intervene (P＜0.05). The blood transaminase levels (ALT，AST) in the study group were significantly lower than that of the control group (P＜0.05). The blood glucose level of both groups decreased over time and returned to normal on day 14 after intervene, but there was no significant difference for both glucose and plasma bilirubin level between the two groups before and after the intervene (Pgt;0.05). The rates of death were similar, although the length of stay in the study group was much shorter than that of the control group. ConclusionrhGH may inhibit the catabolism, correct hypoproteinemia, improve liver function for postoperative patients with cirrhosis and portal hypertension, and reduce their length of stay.