title: Hepatopulmonary syndrome: morbidity and survival after liver transplantation.
abstract: Hepatopulmonary Syndrome (HPS) is a triad of liver disease, intrapulmonary vascular dilatation (IPVD), and arterial deoxygenation. Orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) constitutes the only effective treatment; however, adverse outcomes have been reported. The aim of this study was to evaluate the early morbidity and short- and long-term survival after OLT for patients with and without HPS. We studied 59 transplant recipients divided into 2 groups: with HPS (HPS group n = 25) and without HPS (control group, n = 34) before the OLT. IPVD was diagnosed using transthoracic contrast-enhanced echocardiography. Arterial deoxygenation was defined as PA-a,O(2) >or= 15 mm Hg. The HPS and control groups were homogeneous regarding age (P = .36; 43.8 +/- 12.2 vs 46.9 +/- 13.5), gender (P = .47), male/female ratio (68%:32% and 78%:22%, respectively), and severity of liver disease. The PaO(2) was significantly lower (74.9 +/- 12.1 vs 93 +/- 6.4 mm Hg; P < .001) and the PA-a,O(2) was significantly higher in the HPS group (30.3 +/- 10.6 vs 11.0 +/- 7.0; P < .001). The percentage of severe (n = 3) and very severe (n = 1) hypoxemia was 16%. There were no significant differences between HPS and control groups regarding short- (68% vs 77%; P = .27) and long-term survival (60% vs 64%; P = .67) as well as among patients with mild, moderate, severe, or very severe HPS and the control group (P = .53). Also, intensive care unit (ICU) stay (7.0 vs 5.5; P = .41), duration of mechanical ventilation (38.0 vs 27.5; P = .43), reintubation rate (32.0% vs 23.5%; P = .45), and early postoperative complications (P = .72) were not different. In conclusion, there were no significant differences regarding the outcomes of OLT for patients with versus without HPS related to early morbidity or short- and long-term survival.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine I, Medical School of São José do Rio Preto - FAMERP, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Deberaldini
authors.forename: A B B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Arcanjo
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Melo
authors.forename: R F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.forename: H C C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Felício
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Arroyo
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Duca
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Cordeiro
authors.forename: R C M A
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: da Silva
mesh_terms: D001784:Blood Gas Analysis; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D020065:Hepatopulmonary Syndrome / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000401:mortality / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis; D017741:Survivors / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D010100:Oxygen