Effect of Taurine on Portal Hemodynamics in Patients With Advanced Liver Cirrhosis

Inclusion Criteria: * Patients (male and female) aged older than 18 years with advanced liver cirrhosis (Child's Grade B and Child's Grade C), regardless of the disease origin (viral, alcoholic, idiopathic), who are scheduled for hepatic hemodynamic investigation * Negative pregnancy test of women with childbearing potential * Patient without beta blocker therapy: due to: intolerance of the medication, preexisting contraindication against beta blocker therapy, endoscopic band ligation as prophylaxis Exclusion Criteria: * History of variceal bleeding without endoscopic band ligation * History of endoscopically diagnosed large varices with red spots without previous bleeding and without endoscopic band ligation * HVPG \< 10 mmHg * HVPG \> 20 mmHg and varices, unless ligated and treated in an eradication program within 6 months * Beta Blocker therapy * History of hypersensitivity to the trial drugs and contrast agent or to drugs with similar chemical structure * Treatment with vasoactive or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or systematic antibiotics one week before the study * Exclusion criteria for hepatic hemodynamic investigation * Cardiac, renal or respiratory failure * Previous surgical or transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt * Breast-feeding or pregnant women