Evaluation of Predisposing Metabolic Risk Factors for Portopulmonary Hypertension in Patients with NASH Cirrhosis

• Published in: International journal of general medicine Vol. 15; pp. 859 - 865
• Main Authors: Türker, Fatih, Sahın, Tolga, Oral, Alihan, Koçak, Erdem, Çavuşoğlu Türker, Betül, Niğdelioğlu, Adil, Esra Ataoğlu, Hayriye
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New Zealand Dove Medical Press Limited 01.01.2022; Taylor & Francis Ltd; Dove; Dove Medical Press
• Subjects: Abdomen; Alcohol; Ascites; Bilirubin; Cardiac catheterization; Cardiac function; Cardiovascular disease; Ethics; Health aspects; Heart; Hemoglobin; Hepatitis; Hospitals; Intubation; Laboratories; Liver cirrhosis; Liver diseases; Medical records; Medical research; Medicine, Experimental; Metabolism; nash cirrhosis; Nightingale, Florence (1820-1910); Original Research; Patients; portopulmonary hypertension; Pulmonary arteries; Pulmonary hypertension; Risk factors; Statistical analysis; Thyroid gland; Triglycerides; Ultrasonic imaging; Veins & arteries; NASH cirrhosis; pulmonary hypertension; portopulmonary hypertension
• ISSN: 1178-7074; 1178-7074
• DOI: 10.2147/IJGM.S339474

Metabolic parameters are important for the development of portopulmonary hypertension (PoPH) during nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)-associated cirrhosis. This study evaluated patients with NASH-associated cirrhosis to determine metabolic risk factors for portopulmonary hypertension. Data on 171 patients (120 men and 51 women) with NASH-associated cirrhosis who were seen in Florence Nightingale Hospital's gastroenterology Clinic from 2009 to 2018 was obtained from the Hospital database. A pulmonary artery systolic pressure >35 mmHg was defined as PH (pulmonary hypertension) according to standard transthoracic echocardiography. Portal hypertension was diagnosed from clinical symptoms and dilated portal veins shown by abdominal ultrasound or computed tomography (CT). Pulmonary patients with portal hypertension were diagnosed with portopulmonary hypertension (PoPH). A total of 171 patients with NASH-associated cirrhosis were included in this study. Of these, 43 patients had PoPH. These patients had increased TSH (p=0.004), bilirubin (p=0.023) and triglyceride (p=0.048) levels, higher MELD scores (p=0.018) and decreased hemoglobin (p=0.05). MELD score and hemoglobin, total bilirubin, TSH, and triglyceride levels were all included in a multivariate logistic regression model and TSH levels were independently associated with increased risk of PoPH. Increased TSH is an independent risk factor for PoPH.