Muscle biopsy studies in patients with moderate liver cirrhosis with special reference to energy-rich phosphagens and electrolytes.

Energy-rich phosphagens, water, and electrolytes were determined in skeletal muscle biopsy specimens from five elderly women and five elderly men with moderate liver cirrhosis. At the time of the study the patients were in their usual condition without evidence of deterioration of the disease. When compared with findings in apparently healthy subjects of similar age, the distribution and level of electrolytes and water were within normal limits in the female patients. The male patients showed increased contents of muscle water, and Mg2+ was reduced. The values calculated for the intracellular concentration of K+ and Mg2+ were also below normal. The pattern and levels of energy-rich phosphagens were abnormal in all but one female patient. As a general finding, ATP and the total level of adenine nucleotides were markedly reduced, as were phosphocreatine, the ATP/ADP ratio, and the energy charge potential.