BACKGROUND: Oxygen deficiency in patients with portal hypertension may be secondary to changes in respiratory mechanics due to ascites. OBJECTIVES: Evaluate pulmonary function in patients with portal hypertension before and after reduction of the ascites. METHOD: Fifteen patients with portal hypertension and ascites were submitted to pulmonary function tests, comprising spirometry and arterial blood gas determination, before and after reduction of ascites. The analyzed parameters were: forced vital capacity (FVC); forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1); forced expiratory flow between 25% - 75% of forced vital capacity (FEF 25-75%); expiratory reserve volume (ERV); FEV1/FVC; arterial oxygen pressure (PaO2); arterial carbon-dioxide pressure (PaCO2) and arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2). RESULTS: There was remarkable improvement in pulmonary volumes after decrease of ascites by treatment with diuretics associated or not to paracentesis. CONCLUSION: We concluded, that in patients with portal hypertension and ascites, there is a decrease of pulmonary volumes compared to predicted values, with significant improvement decrease of ascites. Similarly, an increase of the arterial oxygen pressure and of the arterial oxygen saturation was perceived.

Keywords: Ascites/therapy. Hypertension, portal. Respiratory function tests.