Arterial oxygen desaturation during non-sedated diagnostic upper gastrointestinal endoscopy in patients with cirrhosis.

Oxygen saturation was studied with a pulse oximeter in 80 patients with cirrhosis (44 Pugh-Child's class A, 25 class B, and 11 class C) and 80 controls undergoing diagnostic esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD). No narcotic agent was used during the procedure. Baseline SaO2 was significantly lower in cirrhotics than in controls (97.7 +/- 1.0% versus 98.4 +/- 0.9%, p < 0.01). However, nadir SaO2 during EGD was similar for controls and cirrhotics (94.7 +/- 3.0% versus 94.9 +/- 3.3%, NS). Significant hypoxia was found in 29 (36%) control patients: mild hypoxia (95% > nadir SaO2 > or = 90%) in 22 patients and severe hypoxia (nadir SaO2 < 90%) in 7. Similarly, significant hypoxia was noted in 28 (35%) cirrhotic patients: mild hypoxia in 21 and severe hypoxia in 7. The mean duration of significant hypoxia during total EGD time was also similar for controls and cirrhotics (7.4 +/- 6.3% versus 9.2 +/- 10.7%, NS). When the degree of hypoxia during EGD was correlated with the severity of liver disease, analysis of variance (ANOVA) failed to show a significant relationship between Pugh-Child's class and nadir SaO2 or duration of significant hypoxia during total EGD time. These results suggest that oxygen desaturation during EGD occurs both in cirrhotic patients and in controls. We therefore conclude that a population of patients with cirrhosis does not have an increased risk of oxygen desaturation during non-sedated EGD.