title: [Liver cirrhosis: pulmonary function].
abstract: We performed a functional respiratory examination which consisted of arterial gasometry, spirometry, diffusion capacity to CO2, alveolo-arterial gradient of O2 and pulmonary volumes to 8 patients with cirrhosis diagnosed by clinical history, laboratory exams, abdominal ultrasound and histology. Our results showed a slight obstructive pattern of peripheric airways (FMM: 88.87 +/- 8.7%) in the spirometry, no difference in arterial gases at upright and recumbent position was observed, with low values of apO2 (75.51 +/- 1.16 upright and 75.87 +/- 2.16 mmHg recumbent) without statistic significance. The gradient G(Aa) O2 increased to (30.89 +/- 1.06 mmHg). Besides there was a diffusion abnormality with a DLCO2/VA of (71.87 +/- 6.05%). Breathing 100% O2, did not change the gradient which allows us to postulate the existence of an abnormality of gaseous interchange due to shunts. We found no relationship between albumin levels and DLCO2/VO neither with pO2 in upright position; there was a relationship at recumbent position between the hepatic disorder and the arterial desaturation. We concluded that there is no significant hypoxia even with position changes, there is increase of G (Aa) O2 by shunt type disorders and that this is probably related with albumin levels.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Gastroenterología, Hospital Domingo Luciani IVSS, UCV Caracas.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Marichal
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dublet
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Medrano
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hinestrosa
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tálamo
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Korchoff
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Alvarado
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Quirós
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001784:Blood Gas Analysis; D006801:Humans; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008168:Lung / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011659:Pulmonary Gas Exchange; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013147:Spirometry
vernacular_title: Cirrosis hepática: función pulmonar.