Hepatic hemodynamics and oxygen consumption in alcoholic fatty liver assessed by organ-reflectance spectrophotometry and the hydrogen clearance method.

Hepatic blood flow and estimated hepatic oxygen consumption were studied in rats treated chronically with ethanol by organ-reflectance spectrophotometry and the hydrogen clearance method. In the withdrawal state from ethanol, the concentration of hemoglobin in the hepatic tissue (delta Er569-650), the estimated hepatic oxygen consumption (estimated VO2) and the regional liver blood flow decreased significantly in rats treated chronically with ethanol in comparison with their controls. On the other hand, there was no significant difference in the estimated oxygen saturation of the hepatic blood hemoglobin (estimated SO2) between both groups. That is, an increase in oxygen extraction, which was exhibited by a decrease in the estimated SO2, did not occur in rats treated chronically with ethanol in spite of a decrease in blood supply. Thus, in the withdrawal state from ethanol, both oxygen delivery to the liver and oxygen utilization in the liver were disturbed at the stage of alcoholic fatty liver.