Hypoxic Hepatitis in a Postresuscitation State

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Hypoxic hepatitis is also known as ischemic hepatitis, and this is believed to be the result of a reduction in systemic blood flow, as typically occurs in patients suffering with shock. The previous reports on hypoxic hepatitis didn't focused on the postresuscitation state. The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence, survival rate and predisposing factors of hypoxic hepatitis in the postresuscitation state. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of 94 patients who were in a postresuscitation state for more than 72 hours with nontraumatic cardiopulmonary arrest and they had been admitted to our university hospital between April 1997 and May 2007. The patients were divided into two groups the hypoxic hepatitis group (HH) vs the non-hypoxic hepatitis group (Non-HH). RESULTS: Hypoxic hepatitis was identified in about 37% of the patients who survived for at least 72 hours in a postresuscitation state. Hypoxic hepatitis was significantly related to gender, the duration of resuscitation, the cumulative epinephrine dose and the cause of arrest. In addition, the underlying diseases such as baseline renal insufficiency, hypertension and coronary artery disease were related to hypoxic hepatitis. CONCLUSION: Hypoxic hepatitis is a common condition in postresuscitation patients. The prognosis of hypoxic hepatitis is benign in the postresuscitation state. There was no correlation between hypoxic hepatitis and the survival rate.