ARTERIAL BLOOD-GASES IN LIVER-CIRRHOSIS W ITH AND WITHOUT ASCITIS

Objective: The study of the disturbances of arterial gases and the cha nges in the arterial pH which are present in patients with liver cirrh osis and ascitis and their modification after the disappearance of asc itis by treatment. Experimental Design: Open study, protocolized and p rospective, to evaluate the changes in measurement of the arterial gas es and acid-base, parameters in matching groups of patients. Patients: We include 24 patients, 15 males and 9 females, without preliminary o r cardio-respiratory pathology age range between 37 and 77 years, aver age of 56.8 years, all of them diagnosed of liver cirrhosis of differe nt etiologies and with important ascitis, All of them finished the stu dy. Results: In patients with liver cirrhosis and ascitis a fall in th e PaO2 and in the PaCO2 was demonstrated the pH in the upper limit of the normality compatible with hipoxemia and respiratory alkalosis, Aft er the disappearance of the ascitis, a significant improvement in the PaO2 (p < 0.05), without any changes in the PaCO2 and pH values was ap parent. Conclusions: In patients with liver cirrhosis, with or without ascitis, hyperventilation is present, that can be multifactorial in o rigen, but which really has an unknown cause, We have found no relatio nship with the circulating levels of progesterone.