Therapeutic effects of diuretics and paracentesis on lung function in patients with non-alcoholic cirrhosis and tense ascites

Background/Aims: Ascites may cause or aggravate pulmonary dysfunction in patients with liver cirrhosis. Diuretics and paracentesis are the main therapies for ascites. The aim of the present study was to evaluate and compare the therapeutic effects of diuretics and large-volume paracentesis on lung function in 26 male patients with non-alcoholic cirrhosis and tense ascites. Methods: The patients were divided into two groups. Group A was composed of 13 subjects who were treated with diuretics including spironolactone (100–400 mg/day) and furosemide (80–320 mg/day). In group B, 13 subjects received large-volume paracentesis plus intravenous albumin (6–8 g/l ascites removed). Pulmonary function tests including spirometry, plethysmography, single-breath carbon-monoxide diffusing capacity (DLco) and arterial blood gases, were done 1 day before diuretic treatment and 1 day after termination of the study in group A patients, and 1 day before and after large-volume paracentesis in group B subjects. Results: Before treatment, the clinical and laboratory data were comparable between the two groups. After treatment, ventillatory function as evidenced by forced expiratory volume in 1 s, forced vital capacity, total lung capacity, functional residual capacity and expiratory reserve volume, and DLco increased significantly in both groups. Arterial PO2 and PCO2 increased significantly and AaPO2 (alveolar-arterial PO2 difference) decreased significantly in the subjects treated with diuretics. Nevertheless, paracentesis did not improve arterial blood gases. The changes in lung volumes, DLco and PaO2 after treatment (the data after minus those before treatment) were comparable, except that a significant decrease in AaPO2 was observed in the diuretic group. Conclusion: Both diuretic therapy and large-volume paracentesis significantly improved the ventilatory function in patients with tense cirrhotic ascites. In terms of oxygenation improvement as evaluated by AaPO2, diuretic treatment may be superior to large-volume paracentesis.