Abstract
The incidence, type and degree of acid-base disturbance were studied in patients with compensated liver cirrhosis and chronic hepatitis. Metabolic acidosis was found in 12 out of 25 patients with liver cirrhosis and 13 out of 25 patients with chronic hepatitis. Respiratory alkalosis was found in 3 out of 25 patients with liver cirrhosis. PaCO2 was decreased in 6 out of 12 patients with liver cirrhosis and 4 out of 13 patients with chronic hepatitis who manifested as metabolic acidosis. Blood lactate levels were not so high as to explain metabolic acidosis in patients with compensated liver cirrhosis and chronic hepatitis. Metabolic acidosis in liver cirrhosis was hyperchloremic, while metabolic acidosis associated with chronic hepatitis was not hyperchloremic but high anion gap. In addition, incomplete renal tubular acidosis was found in 5 out of 9 patients with liver cirrhosis and 3 out of 10 patients with chronic hepatitis.
The results suggest that metabolic acidosis observed in patients with compensated liver cirrhosis appeared to be resulted from abnormalities in the regulation of hydrogen ions and electrolytes in renal tubules. In contrast, majority of metabolic acidosis associated with chronic hepatitis is due to an accumulation of unknown anions other than lactate.
