Intrapulmonary vascular dilatation in portal hypertension due to cirrhosis of liver.

Sood, N; Sood, A; Sood, N K; Aggarwal, S P; Midha, V; Pannu, H S

Intrapulmonary vascular dilatation in portal hypertension due to cirrhosis of liver.

Date

2001-01-24

Authors

Abstract

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. CONCLUSION: 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.

Citation

Sood N, Sood A, Sood NK, Aggarwal SP, Midha V, Pannu HS. Intrapulmonary vascular dilatation in portal hypertension due to cirrhosis of liver. Indian Journal of Gastroenterology. 2001 Jan-Feb; 20(1): 22-3