Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Two cases of hepatopulmonary syndrome with improved liver function following long-term oxygen therapy

  • Case report
  • Published:
Journal of Gastroenterology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS) is a complication of liver disease that is characterized by hypoxemia and intrapulmonary vascular dilatations. The only established therapy for this disorder is liver transplantation. Here, we report two patients (a 63-year-old woman and a 72-year-old man) with HPS associated with hepatitis C virus-related cirrhosis. We gave the patients low-dose oxygen supplementation to improve their respiratory symptoms. Surprisingly, their liver function improved from Child Pugh class C to class A, and ascites disappeared after a year of oxygen supplementation. We believe that long-term oxygen therapy contributed to the improvement of liver function in these two cases. Long-term oxygen therapy might offer a new therapeutic approach to improve liver function in patients with cirrhosis with hypoxemia.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. R Rodriguez-Roisin AGN Agusti J Roca (1992) ArticleTitleThe hepatopulmonary syndrome: new name, old complexities Thorax 47 897–902 Occurrence Handle1465744 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DyaK3s7gt1Wgsg%3D%3D Occurrence Handle10.1136/thx.47.11.897

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. P Schenk M Schöniger-Hekele V Fuhrmann C Madl G Silberhumer C Müller (2003) ArticleTitlePrognostic significance of the hepatopulmonary syndrome in patients with cirrhosis Gastroenterology 125 1042–52 Occurrence Handle14517788 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0016-5085(03)01207-1

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. GA Abrams CC Jaffe PB Hoffer HJ Binder MB Fallon (1995) ArticleTitleDiagnostic utility of contrast echocardiography and lung perfusion scan in patients with hepatopulmonary syndrome Gastroenterology 109 1283–8 Occurrence Handle7557096 Occurrence Handle10.1016/0016-5085(95)90589-8 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DyaK28%2FivFegsw%3D%3D

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. PA Lange JK Stoller (1995) ArticleTitleThe hepatopulmonary syndrome Ann Intern Med 122 521–9 Occurrence Handle7872588 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DyaK2M7nslCntA%3D%3D

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. MB Fallon (2005) ArticleTitleMechanisms of pulmonary vascular complications of liver disease: hepatopulmonary syndrome J Clin Gastroenterol 39 IssueIDSuppl S138–42 Occurrence Handle15758649 Occurrence Handle10.1097/01.mcg.0000155570.19340.61 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DC%2BD2MXit1agsbk%3D

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. MJ Krowka (2000) ArticleTitleHepatopulmonary syndrome: recent literature and implications for liver transplantation Liver Transplant 6 IssueIDSuppl S31–5 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DC%2BD3cvot1ehsQ%3D%3D

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. DI Gaines MB Fallon (2004) ArticleTitleHepatopulmonary syndrome Liver Int 24 397–401 Occurrence Handle15482333 Occurrence Handle10.1111/j.1478-3231.2004.0944.x

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. G Marchesini G Bianchi M Merli P Amodio C Panella C Loguercio et al. (2003) ArticleTitleNutritional supplementation with branched-chain amino acids in advanced cirrhosis: a double-blind, randomized trial Gastroenterology 124 1792–801 Occurrence Handle12806613 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0016-5085(03)00323-8 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DC%2BD3sXlt1yrtL4%3D

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. C Corpechot V Barbu D Wendum N Kinnman C Rey R Poupon et al. (2002) ArticleTitleHypoxia-induced VEGF and collagen I expressions are associated with angiogenesis and fibrogenesis in experimental cirrhosis Hepatology 35 1010–21 Occurrence Handle11981751 Occurrence Handle10.1053/jhep.2002.32524 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DC%2BD38XktF2htbY%3D

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. C Corpechot V Barbu D Wendum N Chignard C Housset R Poupon et al. (2002) ArticleTitleHepatocyte growth factor and c-Met inhibition by hepatic cell hypoxia Am J Pathol 160 613–20 Occurrence Handle11839582 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DC%2BD38XitVCkt7s%3D

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. PR Froomes H Ghabrial DJ Morgan PW Angus (2002) ArticleTitleThe effect of oxygen supplementation on the arterial ketone body ratio in human cirrhosis Digestion 66 257–61 Occurrence Handle12592102 Occurrence Handle10.1159/000068358 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DC%2BD3sXitFaisLo%3D

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. S Iwata K Ozawa Y Shimahara K Mori N Kobayashi K Kumada et al. (1991) ArticleTitleDiurnal fluctuations of arterial ketone body ratio in normal subjects and patients with liver dysfunction Gastroenterol 100 1371–8 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DyaK3M7pt1GgsA%3D%3D

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. F Schaffner H Popper (1963) ArticleTitleCapillarization of hepatic sinusoids in man Gastroenterology 44 239–42 Occurrence Handle13976646 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DyaF387mvVCmsA%3D%3D

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. M Ukikusa T Ida (1979) ArticleTitleThe influence of hypoxia and haemorrhage upon adenylate energy charge and bile flow Surg Gynecol Obstet 49 346–52

    Google Scholar 

  15. MJ Krowka ER Dickson DA Cortese (1993) ArticleTitleHepatopulmonary syndrome. Clinical observations and the lack of a therapeutic response to somatostatin analogues Chest 104 515–21 Occurrence Handle8101797 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DyaK3szjvFWmsQ%3D%3D

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. Hiroshi Yatsuhashi

    Present address: Department of Hepatology, National Hospital Organization Nagasaki Medical Center, 2-1001-1 Kubara, Omura, Nagasaki, 856-8562, Japan

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pulmonary Medicine, National Hospital Organization Nagasaki Medical Center, Nagasaki, Japan

    Kazuko Y Fukushima, Akitoshi Kinoshita & Mitsuhiko Osumi

  2. Department of Hepatology, National Hospital Organization Nagasaki Medical Center, Nagasaki, Japan

    Hiroshi Yatsuhashi, Toshihito Ueki & Takehiro Matsumoto

  3. Department of Radiology, National Hospital Organization Nagasaki Medical Center, Nagasaki, Japan

    Yohjiro Matsuoka

Authors
  1. Kazuko Y Fukushima
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Hiroshi Yatsuhashi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Akitoshi Kinoshita
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Toshihito Ueki
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Takehiro Matsumoto
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Mitsuhiko Osumi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Yohjiro Matsuoka
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Fukushima, K., Yatsuhashi, H., Kinoshita, A. et al. Two cases of hepatopulmonary syndrome with improved liver function following long-term oxygen therapy. J Gastroenterol 42, 176–180 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00535-006-1965-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00535-006-1965-0

Key words

Search

Navigation