Effect of oral garlic on arterial oxygen pressure in children with hepatopulmonary syndrome.
OBJECTIVE
To study the effect of oral garlic on arterial oxygen pressure in children with hepatopulmonary syndrome.


METHODS
Garlic powder in a capsule form was given to 15 children with hepatopulmonary syndrome (confirmed by contrast echocardiography) at the dosage of 1 g/1.73 m(2) per day. Patients were evaluated clinically and by arterial blood gas every four weeks.


RESULTS
The garlic capsule was administered to 15 patients with hepatopulmonary syndrome. There were 10 boys and 5 girls with a mean age of 9.4+/-3.9 years. The underlying problems were biliary tract atresia (4 patients), autoimmune hepatitis (4 patients), cryptogenic cirrhosis (4 patients) and presinusoidal portal hypertension (3 patients). Eight patients(53.3%) showed an increase of 10 mmHg in their mean arterial oxygen pressure. The baseline PaO(2) was 65.6+/-12.1 mmHg in the responder group and 47.1+/-11.2 mmHg in non-responder group. At the end of treatment the mean PaO(2) in responders and non-responders was 92.2+/-7.75 mmHg and 47.5+/-11.87 mmHg, respectively (P<0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Garlic may increase oxygenation and improve dyspnea in children with hepatopulmonary syndrome.
Najafi Sani
Mehri
M
Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Department of Pediatrics, Ghaem Medical Center of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Ahmadabad Ave, Mashhad, Iran.
Kianifar
Hamid-Reza
HR
Kianee
Abdolrazagh
A
Khatami
Gholamreza
G