Oxygen delivery and utilization in liver in alcoholic liver disease

Abstract

Oxygen delivery and utilization in liver were investigated in 38 patients with alcoholic liver injuries by organ-reflectance spectrophotometry during peritoneoscopy. The regional hepatic blood volume (ΔEr_569-650) decreased significantly with progress of fibrosis of liver and fatty metamorphosis. The estimated oxygen saturation level of hepatic blood hemoglobin (estimated SO²) decreased significantly in liver cirrhosis, and it was lower in liver fibrosis than in nonspecific change of liver. The in vivo hepatic oxygen consumption (VO²) decreased significantly with progress of fibrosis of liver, and it was lower in patients with fatty metamorphosis than in those without fatty metamorphosis. The in vivo hepatic oxygen consumption decreased concomitantly with the decrease in the regional hepatic blood volume. It is concluded that the disturbance of oxygen delivery and utilization in liver could play an important role in the progress of alcoholic liver injury.