Natural history of porto-pulmonary hypertension associated with cirrhosis

Aims: Porto-pulmonary hypertension (POPH) is defined by an elevated mean pulmonary artery pressure (MPAP) and pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) with a normal pulmonary artery occlusion pressure (PAOP). Recently, the transpulmonary gradient TPG (=MPAP-PAOP) was proposed as a new diagnostic tool in a pre-transplant cohort of patients (Hepatology 2006;44:1502). Aim: To assess prevalence and prognostic relevance of POPH in comparison with established scoring systems in a large single-center cohort of patients (p.). Methods: 729 consecutive p. with suspected cirrhosis referred to our unit between 12/1995 and 12/200…