Role of echocardiography in detecting portopulmonary hypertension in liver transplant candidates

Portopulmonary hypertension (PPHTN) is a recognized complication of end-stage liver disease that adversely affects the outcome of orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). There are limited data on the role of Doppler echocardiography in assessing pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP) in this population. The purpose of our study was to examine the accuracy of Doppler echocardiography in evaluating Pulmonary artery pressures in liver transplant candidates. Clinical and demographic data were gathered retrospectively for 78 liver transplant candidates (48 men and 30 women, mean age 51+/-9.6 yr) who had PASP determined both by right heart catheterization (RHC) and echocardiography. Paired sample t-test was used to compare mean PASP by echocardiography and RHC. Correlation of PASP between echocardiography and RHC was determined using Pearson's linear correlation. Positive and negative predictive values for echocardiography for PASP > 50 mmHg are reported as compared with RHC. The mean PASP by echocardiography (43.2+/-12.3 mm Hg) was significantly higher than mean PASP by RHC (33.7+/-15.5 mm Hg; P<.001). Regarding PASP, there was a significant but weak correlation between echocardioaraphy and RHC (r=0.46, P=.01). The positive and negative predictive values of echocardiography for identifying clinically significant pulmonary hypertension (PASP > 50 min Hg) were 37.5% and 91.9%, respectively. Echocardiography is a useful tool in estimating PASP in liver transplant candidates. Patients with apparently elevated PASP by echocardiography should undergo invasive assessment by RHC before being excluded from liver transplant.