Objective: To determine the occurrence of hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS) in patients with cirrhosis who are candidates for liver transplantation; to compare demographic, clinical, laboratory, and spirometric characteristics, as well as echocardiography results, arterial blood gas analysis, and severity of liver disease between the groups of patients with and without HPS; and to describe the occurrence of HPS in the subgroup of patients with cirrhosis and schistosomiasis mansoni (mixed liver disease). Methods: Between January and November of 2007, we evaluated 44 patients under treatment at the Liver Transplant Outpatient Clinic of the Federal University of Pernambuco Hospital das ClĂnicas, in the city of Recife, Brazil. The diagnostic criteria for HPS were intrapulmonary vascular dilatation, identified by transthoracic echocardiography, and an alveolar-arterial oxygen tension difference â„ 15 mmHg or a PaO 2 < 80 mmHg. Results: The mean age of the patients was 52 years, and 31 patients (70%) were males. The most common cause of cirrhosis was alcohol use. Schistosomiasis was present in 28 patients (64%). Of the 44 patients, 20 (45.5%) were diagnosed with HPS. No significant differences were found between those patients and the patients without HPS in terms of any of the characteristics studied. Of the 28 patients with cirrhosis and schistosomiasis, 10 (35.7%) were diagnosed with HPS. Conclusions: In the population studied, HPS was highly prevalent and did not correlate with any of the variables analyzed.Keywords: Hepatopulmonary syndrome; Liver transplantation; Liver cirrhosis; Hypertension, portal; Schistosomiasis mansoni; Echocardiography.
ResumoObjetivo: Verificar a ocorrĂȘncia da sĂndrome hepatopulmonar (SHP) em pacientes cirrĂłticos candidatos a transplante de fĂgado; comparar as caracterĂsticas demogrĂĄficas, clĂnicas, laboratoriais e espiromĂ©tricas, resultados de ecocardiografia, anĂĄlise de gases arteriais e da gravidade da doença hepĂĄtica nos pacientes com e sem SHP; e descrever a ocorrĂȘncia de SHP no subgrupo de pacientes com cirrose associada Ă esquistossomose mansĂŽnica (doença hepĂĄtica mista). MĂ©todos: Entre janeiro e novembro de 2007, foram avaliados 44 pacientes inscritos no AmbulatĂłrio de Transplante HepĂĄtico do Hospital das ClĂnicas da Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, em Recife (PE). Os critĂ©rios diagnĂłsticos para SHP foram a presença de dilataçÔes vasculares intrapulmonares, identificadas por ecocardiografia transtorĂĄcica, assim como diferença alveoloarterial de oxigĂȘnio â„ 15 mmHg ou PaO 2 < 80 mmHg. Resultados: A idade mĂ©dia foi 52 anos, e 31 pacientes (70%) eram do sexo masculino. A causa mais frequente de cirrose foi uso de etanol. A esquistossomose esteve presente em 28 pacientes (64%). Dos 44 pacientes, 20 (45,5%) foram diagnosticados com SHP. NĂŁo foram observadas diferenças significativas em relação Ă s caracterĂsticas estudadas. No subgrupo de pacientes com cirrose associada Ă esquistossomose, 10/28 (35,7%) receberam o diagnĂłstico de SHP. ConclusĂ”es: A SHP apresentou elevada prevalĂȘnc...