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Lung Dysfunction and Chronic Liver Disease
- Eric M. Yoshida, MD;
- Siegfried R. Erb, MD; and
- Charles H. Scudamore, MD
The Editors welcome submissions for possible publication in the Letters section. Authors of letters should:
•Include no more than 300 words of text, three authors, and five references
•Type with double-spacing
•Send three copies of the letter, an authors' form signed by all authors, and a cover letter describing any conflicts of interest related to the contents of the letter.
Letters commenting on an Annals article will be considered if they are received within 6 weeks of the time the article was published. Only some of the letters received can be published. Published letters are edited and may be shortened; tables and figures are included only selectively. Authors will be notified that the letter has been received. If the letter is selected for publication, the author will be notified about 3 weeks before the publication date. Unpublished letters cannot be returned.
Annals welcomes electronically submitted letters.
TO THE EDITOR:
In their excellent article, Lange and Stoller [1] state that cirrhosis-associated pulmonary hypertension is less likely to reverse after liver transplantation. Pulmonary hypertension associated with liver disease (portopulmonary hypertension) is an entity distinct from the hepatopulmonary syndrome, which is characterized by low to normal pulmonary artery pressures.
The literature on liver transplantation and portopulmonary hypertension is scant. Although significant mortality was initially reported in liver transplant recipients with a history of pulmonary hypertension [2], more recent reports have been more promising. We previously reported successful amelioration of pulmonary hypertension after liver transplantation in a patient with portopulmonary hypertension [3]. Since then, we have documented a sustained resolution in pulmonary artery pressure 4 years after transplantation. After our initial report, two other centers have subsequently described reversal of pulmonary hypertension after liver transplantation [4, 5]. The collective experience described in these reports [3-5] is that of persistent pulmonary hypertension in the immediate perioperative period, followed by reversal over several months.
Our experience, and that of the other centers, suggests that a reversible component of portopulmonary hypertension exists. Liver transplantation may be of benefit to patients without end-stage pulmonary arterial fibrosis and with preserved cardiac function.
Eric M. Yoshida, MD
Siegfried R. Erb, MD
Charles H. Scudamore, MD
University of British Columbia
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
The Editors welcome submissions for possible publication in the Letters section. Authors of letters should:
•Include no more than 300 words of text, three authors, and five references
•Type with double-spacing
•Send three copies of the letter, an authors' form signed by all authors, and a cover letter describing any conflicts of interest related to the contents of the letter.
Letters commenting on an Annals article will be considered if they are received within 6 weeks of the time the article was published. Only some of the letters received can be published. Published letters are edited and may be shortened; tables and figures are included only selectively. Authors will be notified that the letter has been received. If the letter is selected for publication, the author will be notified about 3 weeks before the publication date. Unpublished letters cannot be returned.
Annals welcomes electronically submitted letters.
- Copyright ©2004 by the American College of Physicians
