[Liver cirrhosis: pulmonary function]

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.