Hypoxemia and its pathogenesis in patients with liver cirrhosis

AIM To explore the incidence of hypoxemia and its pathogenesis in liver cirrhosis. METHODS The partial pressure of oxygen (PaO 2) and oxygen saturation of arterial blood (SaO 2) in 66 liver cirrhosis patients were examined by automatic blood gas analyser (ABL 3 type, Denmark). Of them, 62 were posthepatitic cirrhosis, 1 schistosomial cirrhosis, 1 alcoholic cirrhosis and 2 idiopathic. At the same time, 14 healthy volunteers were studied as controls. RESULTS The PaO 2 and SaO 2 in patients with liver cirrhosis were 11 13kPa ± 0 19kPa and 97 22%±0 15%. The PaO 2 and SaO 2 in the normal were 13 13kPa ± 0 16kPa and 98 07%±0 25%. The difference was significant ( P 0 01). And the low PaO 2 and SaO 2 were related to inner diameter of the portal vein and vascular spider. But they were not related to liver function status, serum concentration of ALT, cholinesterase and pleural effusion. CONCLUSION Hypoxemia in patients with liver cirrhosis is related with vascular dilation in the lungs.