Portopulmonary hypertension: Diagnostic advances and caveats
โ Scribed by Michael J. Krowka
- Publisher
- John Wiley and Sons
- Year
- 2003
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 58 KB
- Volume
- 9
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 1527-6465
No coin nor oath required. For personal study only.
โฆ Synopsis
Portopulmonary hypertension represents a major risk factor for transplantation; therefore, preoperative detection is crucial. The aims of this study were to determine (1) whether Doppler echocardiography performed at evaluation is a reliable tool for detecting portopulmonary hypertension and (2) the incidence of acquired portopulmonary hypertension profile after evaluation. One hundred sixtyfive patients had Doppler echocardiography and right heart catheterization at evaluation over a 9-year period. All patients had a prospective follow-up, and the results of catheterization at evaluation were compared with those obtained at the time of transplantation. Seventeen of 165 patients met the criteria for portopulmonary hypertension on Doppler echocardiography. Portopulmonary hypertension was confirmed by catheterization in 10 patients and ruled out in 7. There were no false negatives for echocardiography. Mean pulmonary artery pressure was significantly higher during the initial phase of transplantation than at evaluation (17.8 ุ 4.3 versus 20.3 ุ 5.5 mm Hg, respectively, P < .0001), and there was no significant correlation between values obtained at these 2 time points. Three patients showed to have acquired portopulmonary hypertension profile although waiting for a graft within time intervals ranging from 2.5 to 5 months. In conclusion, Doppler echocardiography is a highly sensitive tool for detecting portopulmonary hypertension. However, because this technique has a poor positive predictive value, right heart catheterization is recommended for confirming portopulmonary hypertension. In addition, the absence of portopulmonary hypertension at evaluation does not exclude the occasional occurrence of acquired portopulmonary hypertension profile after listing.
๐ SIMILAR VOLUMES
Portopulmonary hypertension (POPH) is the elevation of pulmonary artery pressure due to increased resistance to pulmonary blood flow in the setting of portal hypertension. Increased mortality has occurred with attempted liver transplantation in such patients and thus, screening for POPH is advised.
for the Pulmonary Vascular Complications of Liver Disease Study Group Portopulmonary hypertension affects up to 6% of patients with advanced liver disease, but the predictors and biologic mechanism for the development of this complication are unknown. We sought to determine the clinical risk factors
ter, venous blood bypasses the capillary-alveoli interface via direct arteriovenous channels (dilated compared with capillary diameters รต8 m ), hence never becoming oxygenated; an Cirrhosis, portal hypertension, and even acute liver failure anatomic shunt. 9 If enough partial pressure of inspired ox