PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Eduardo Garcia
AU  - Taiane Francieli Rebelatto
AU  - Fernanda Waltrick Martins
AU  - Lucas Jesus de Medeiros
AU  - Rangel Olsen de Carvalho
AU  - Ajácio Brandão
TI  - Prevalence of hepatopulmonary syndrome in candidates for liver transplantation in Santa Casa Hospital (Porto Alegre-Brazil)
DP  - 2011 Sep 01
TA  - European Respiratory Journal
PG  - p2322
VI  - 38
IP  - Suppl 55
4099  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/38/Suppl_55/p2322.short
4100  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/38/Suppl_55/p2322.full
SO  - Eur Respir J2011 Sep 01; 38
AB  - Background: Hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS) is a disorder of pulmonary vascular disease secondary to liver disease, comprehending abnormalities of arterial oxygenation (PaO2 <80 mmHg or alveolar-arterial oxygen gradient (PA-aO2) ≥15 mmHg on room air, and in larger 64 years PaO2 <70 mmHg or PA-aO2 ≥20 mmHg) and presence of pulmonary vascular dilatation. There are reports of its occurrence between 4-32% of cirrhotic liver transplant candidates. It is presence, independently and significantly, increases mortality and reduces the survival rate of those patients when compared with cirrhotic patients without HPS.Objective: To assess the prevalence and severity of HPS in patients with severe liver disease.Methods: Retrospective cross sectional review of 90 medical records of 90 patients who underwent liver transplantation at the Santa Casa Hospital (Porto Alegre -Brazil), from February 2002 to April 2009. The present study was approved by the Hospital Ethics Committee.Results: The sample consisted of 90 patients, 62.2% (n = 56) were male and mean age was 54.13 years (22-74). The prevalence of HPS was 43.3% (n=39). Forty one per cent (n=16) were classified as having mild HPS, 33.3% (n=13) moderate, 10.3% (n=4), severe and 15.4% (n = 6) as very severe. The mean PA-aO2 was 26.42 mmHg and the mean PaO2 was 81.47 mmHg.Conclusion: The study confirms the high prevalence of this clinical syndrome in patients with severe liver disease and, thus, strengthen its research in patients with liver diseases, especially those who may be liver transplantation, since current evidence points to liver transplantation as a treatment of HPS.