Echocardiography Screening of Consecutive Patients With Portal Hypertension Referred to Mayo Clinic for Liver Transplant Evaluation

Abstract

Objective: To determine the prevalence of portopulmonary hypertension in patients referred for liver transplant evaluation.

Methods: Medical records were reviewed for 986 consecutive patients referred for liver transplant evaluation who were screened for pulmonary hypertension with echocardiography from February 1, 2021, to January 31, 2022, across 3 liver transplant centers.

Results: Of 934 patients eligible for analysis, mean (SD) age was 57 (11) years, 558 (59.7%) were men, and 859 (92.0%) were White. Alcoholic cirrhosis and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis represented 640 (68.5%) of the liver diseases. Right ventricular systolic pressure estimated by echocardiography was 35 mm Hg or greater in 147 (15.7%) and less than 35 mm Hg in 475 (50.9%; unable to estimate in 312 [33.4%]). Right-sided heart catheterization was performed in 42 (4.5%) patients; hemodynamic profiles revealed that 12 (28.6%) did not have pulmonary hypertension, 15 (35.7%) had postcapillary venous pulmonary hypertension, 7 (16.7%) had portopulmonary hypertension, 6 (14.3%) had unclassifiable pulmonary hypertension, and 2 (4.8%) had combined pre- and postcapillary pulmonary hypertension.

Conclusion: The percentage of portopulmonary hypertension in patients referred for liver transplant was considerably lower, 7 of 934 (0.7%), than in previous studies, but the reason was unclear.