Effects of a single dose of terlipressin on transcutaneous oxygen pressures.
OBJECTIVE
Terlipressin (TP) is a potent vasoconstrictor, which is widely used in the treatment of bleeding esophageal varices and the hepatorenal syndrome. Side effects to TP are often related to skin hypoxaemia. The aim of the study was to investigate the transcutaneous oxygen pressures (TcPO(2) mmHg) after administration of 2 mg of TP.


METHODS
Nineteen patients with cirrhosis and ascites were included. TcPO(2) mmHg were measured continuously measured at the chest, abdominal wall and at the lower extremity at baseline and after 2 mg TP in 15 patients and placebo in 4 patients.


RESULTS
The mean whole body TcPO(2) decreased after TP by 34% (p < 0.005). The decrease was even more pronounced in the lower extremity: above knee -33% (50 vs. 33 mmHg, p = 0.01) and below knee -52% (52 vs. 26 mmHg, p = 0.001). Levels below 30 mmHg, were found in 60% of the patients after TP compared to 0% in the placebo group, p = 0.005. There were no significant changes in TcPO(2) after placebo. The baseline leg TcPO(2) correlated inversely with the MELD score (r = -0.64 and p < 0.003) and the increase in MAP after TP correlated inversely with TcPO(2) at the thorax (r = -0.60, p = 0.009).


CONCLUSIONS
Sixty percent of patients with decompensated cirrhosis develop hypoxaemia in the lower limb after one dose of TP.
Krag
Aleksander
A
Department of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre, Faculty of Health Sciences, Copenhagen, Denmark. aleksander.krag@hvh.regionh.dk
Møller
Søren
S
Henriksen
Jens H
JH
Bendtsen
Flemming
F
D000328:Adult; D001785:Blood Gas Monitoring, Transcutaneous; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000097:blood*; D008236:Lypressin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000077585:Terlipressin; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*
D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents; D008236:Lypressin; D000077585:Terlipressin