Erythrocyte potassium codntent and acid-base equilibrium in patients with hepatic cirrhosis: Effect of oral potassium chloride administration

Alterations of acid-base equilibrium and water and/or electrolyte balance have often been found in patients with liver cirrhosis. These disturbances may be attributed mainly to the loss of potassium induced by long-term diuretic therapy. In ten patients with liver cirrhosis and on chronic diuretic treatment, we evaluated intraerythrocytic potassium content (RBCK) in relation to serum potassium (Ks) and acid-base equilibrium before and after oral potassium chloride supplementation. The results of our study suggest that: (1) RBCK measurement is more sensitive than Ks measurement for estimating body potassium content in liver cirrhosis and that RBCK correlates better than Ks with acid-base equilibrium. (2) Oral potassium chloride administration increased RBCK in all patients with Ks below the normal range before treatment and induced a normalization of blood pH and plasma bicarbonate concentrations. (3) Oral potassium supplementation was well tolerated by all patients and adverse gastrointestinal symptoms were not reported.