The carotid bodies enlarge in some cases of cirrhosis of the liver.

The weights of the individual carotid bodies and cardiac ventricles were obtained at necropsy in five series of subjects. The first comprised 10 cases free of cardiopulmonary disease to act as controls. The second consisted of 10 cases of pulmonary emphysema. The third was composed of 8 cases characterized by sustained alveolar hypoxia due to causes other than pulmonary emphysema. The fourth comprised 10 cases of systemic hypertension or severe left ventricular failure. The fifth was made up of 10 cases of diseases of the liver or alimentary canal. The study confirmed that enlargement of the carotid bodies is common in cases of pulmonary emphysema or sustained alveolar hypoxia with right ventricular hypertrophy. It is also common in cases of systemic hypertension with left ventricular hypertrophy. It was also revealed that enlargement of the carotid bodies may occur in cirrhosis of the liver. We believe this to be the first report of that association.