Intrapulmonary vascular dilatation in portal hypertension due to cirrhosis of liver.
BACKGROUND
Intrapulmonary vascular dilatation in patients with portal hypertension due to chronic liver disease has been reported mainly from Western countries.


METHODS
Fifty in-patients with portal hypertension due to cirrhosis of the liver were subjected to contrast-enhanced two-dimensional echocardiography in order to detect the presence of intrapulmonary vascular dilatation. Their arterial blood oxygen saturation was measured. The patients, including 37 men, were aged mean 43.5 years; 30 had alcoholic cirrhosis and 20 postnecrotic cirrhosis. Twelve patients were in Child-Pugh, class B and 38 in class C.


RESULTS
None of the 50 patients was cyanosed or had clubbing. Their mean pO2 was 83.2 mmHg. None had evidence of intrapulmonary vascular dilatations.


CONCLUSIONS
Intrapulmonary vascular dilatation was not observed in our patients with liver cirrhosis. However, the sensitivity of contrast-enhanced echocardiography for this purpose needs to be reviewed.
Sood
N
N
Department of Medicine, Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, Ludhiana.
Sood
A
A
Sood
N K
NK
Aggarwal
S P
SP
Midha
V
V
Pannu
H S
HS
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003287:Contrast Media; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006975:Hypertension, Portal / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D015994:Incidence; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D014664:Vasodilation
D003287:Contrast Media