[Hepatopulmonary syndrome in patients with advanced hepatic disease: study of a series of 24 cases].
OBJECTIVE
To describe the characteristics observed in patients diagnosed of hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS) waiting for orthotopic liver transplantation and those who underwent liver trasplantation.


METHODS
An observational prospective descriptive study was carried out of patients waiting for liver transplantation in whom data of liver illness and lung function tests were analyzed.


RESULTS
107 patients of 53.69 years average age were studied (7.7 standard deviation). 24 of them (22.4%) had criteria of HPS. Ortodeoxia was present in the 34% of cases. The lung function tests were normal. In the comparative study between patients with HPS and no HPS, differences in diffusion were found (7.1 vs. 8.6 mmol/min/kPa; p = 0.04), as well as in the shunt (8% vs. 5.3%; p = 0.05) and the forced expiratory volume in one second (2,390 vs. 2,743 ml; p = 0.03). Seven patients were transplanted with correction of oxygenation and vascular dilatations in all of them.


CONCLUSIONS
HPS is a frequent illness in patients waiting for orthotopic liver transplantation. The main alteration in the blood oxygenation seems owe to shunt, and the diffusion tests is the analysis that could best differentiate patients with HPS. Orthotopic liver transplantation corrects the syndrome in all cases.
Márquez Martín
Eduardo
E
Unidad Médico-Quirúrgica de Enfermedades Respiratorias, Hospitales Universitarios Virgen del Rocío, Sevilla, España. eduardomarquezmartin@hotmail.com
Jara Palomares
Luis
L
Ortega Ruiz
Francisco
F
Grilo Bensusán
Israel
I
López-Campos
José Luis
JL
Cejudo Ramos
Pilar
P
Pascasio
Juan Manuel
JM
Rodríguez Becerra
Eulogio
E
D005260:Female; D020065:Hepatopulmonary Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests