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Hepatopulmonary syndrome in noncirrhotic patients with chronic viral hepatitis

Egyptian Journal of Bronchology volume 8, pages 175–180 (2014)Cite this article

Abstract

Background

Hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS) is hypoxemia and functional intrapulmonary right-to-left shunts in patients with liver disease. It is a well-known complication of liver cirrhosis, portal hypertension, and acute liver failure.

Aim

The aim of this study was to determine the extent to which pulmonary functions were affected and the possible existence of HPS in noncirrhotic patients with chronic viral hepatitis.

Patients and methods

Lung function tests were carried out on 60 patients with chronic viral hepatitis (43 with hepatitis C and 17 with hepatitis B). All hypoxemic patients or patients with reduced diffusion capacity were subjected to contrast echocardiography to demonstrate intrapulmonary shunting.

Results

Twelve patients showed pulmonary dysfunction. Only seven of 60 patients (11.67%) showed hypoxemia. Intrapulmonary shunting was observed in three of those 12 patients. Two of these patients fulfilled the diagnostic criteria of HPS.

Conclusion

HPS exists in some patients with chronic viral hepatitis and is thus not restricted to patients with end-stage liver disease. Egypt J Broncho 2014 8:175–180

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chest, Menoufiya University, Menoufiya, Egypt

    Mahmoud M. El-Habashy MD & Ahmed A. Khamis

  2. Department of Cardiology, Menoufiya University, Menoufiya, Egypt

    Mahmoud Kamel

  3. Department of Tropical Medicine, Menoufiya University, Menoufiya, Egypt

    Abdallah Essa

  4. Department of Internal Medicine, Menoufiya University, Menoufiya, Egypt

    Walid Shehab-Eldin

  5. Department of Pathology, Menoufiya University, Menoufiya, Egypt

    Mohamed Shaban

Authors
  1. Mahmoud M. El-Habashy MD
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  2. Ahmed A. Khamis
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  3. Mahmoud Kamel
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  4. Abdallah Essa
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  5. Walid Shehab-Eldin
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  6. Mohamed Shaban
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mahmoud M. El-Habashy MD.

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El-Habashy, M.M., Khamis, A.A., Kamel, M. et al. Hepatopulmonary syndrome in noncirrhotic patients with chronic viral hepatitis. Egypt J Bronchol 8, 175–180 (2014). https://doi.org/10.4103/1687-8426.145728

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.4103/1687-8426.145728

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