Prediction of Postoperative Hypoxemia in Smokers and Non‐smokers

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Abstract
Age, weight, spirometric variables, peak expiratory flow and airway closure assessments were correlated to postoperative gas exchange in 40 cholecystectomized subjects grouped according to smoking history. PaO2 [arterial O2 pressure] was significantly lower in the smoking group both pre- and postoperatively, but the decrease in PaO2 following operation was of the same magnitude irrespective of smoking history. In non-smokers, the preoperative relationship between expiratory reserve volume and closing volume (ERV-CV) showed the highest correlation to postoperative alveolar-arterial O2 difference P(A-a)O2 and to the increase of P(A-a)O2 following operation, whereas age was the best preoperative predictor of postoperative gas exchange in smokers.