Successful management of portopulmonary hypertension with beraprost

Portopulmonary hypertension is a complication of chronic liver disease, which has significant effects on survival and prognosis. Although the pathogenesis of pulmonary arterial hypertension has been well known, portopulmonary hypertension is often underestimated in patients with chronic liver disease. Every clinician who manages patients with chronic liver disease complaining of dyspnea should consider portopulmonary hypertension because this disorder requires special treatment. Herein, a 40-year-old woman with liver cirrhosis who complained of dyspnea on exercise is presented. She was diagnosed with portopulmonary hypertension by echocardiography and right-heart catheterization. Beraprost was used to reduce the pulmonary arterial pressure and improve the symptoms. Her symptoms were improved after 2 weeks, and improved symptoms and reduced pulmonary arterial pressure were sustained for 18 months. Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol 22:1503-1505 (C) 2010 Wolters Kluwer Health vertical bar Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.