Hepatopulmonary syndrome

David G Koch; Michael B Fallon

doi:10.1016/j.cld.2014.01.003

Hepatopulmonary syndrome

Clin Liver Dis. 2014 May;18(2):407-20. doi: 10.1016/j.cld.2014.01.003. Epub 2014 Feb 25.

Authors

David G Koch¹, Michael B Fallon²

Affiliations

¹ Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, 25 Courtenay Drive ART 7100A, MSC 290, Charleston, SC 29425, USA. Electronic address: kochd@musc.edu.
² Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Medical School at Houston, 6431 Fannin Street, MSB 4234, Houston, TX 77030, USA.

PMID: 24679503
DOI: 10.1016/j.cld.2014.01.003

Abstract

The hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS) is a pulmonary complication of cirrhosis and/or portal hypertension whereby patients develop hypoxemia as a result of alterations in pulmonary microvascular tone and architecture. HPS occurs in up to 30% of patients with cirrhosis. Although the degree of hypoxemia does not reliably correlate with the severity of liver disease, patients with HPS have a higher mortality than do patients with cirrhosis without the disorder. There has been progress into defining the mechanisms that lead to hypoxemia in HPS, but to date there are no therapeutic options for HPS aside from liver transplantation.

Keywords: Contrast echocardiography; Hepatopulmonary syndrome; Hypoxemia; Intrapulmonary vasodilatation; Liver transplantation; Portal hypertension.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Animals
Diagnosis, Differential
Disease Models, Animal
Hepatopulmonary Syndrome / diagnosis
Hepatopulmonary Syndrome / etiology*
Hepatopulmonary Syndrome / surgery
Humans
Hypertension, Portal / complications
Hypertension, Portal / physiopathology
Hypoxia / etiology
Liver Cirrhosis / complications
Liver Cirrhosis / physiopathology
Liver Transplantation
Portasystemic Shunt, Transjugular Intrahepatic
Pulmonary Circulation
Rats
Vasodilation