Mechanical characteristics of the pulmonary artery in beagle dogs with hepatopulmonary syndrome and portopulmonary hypertension

Impact of liver damage on blood-borne variables and pulmonary hemodynamic responses to hypoxia and hyperoxia in anesthetized rats

BACKGROUND

Liver disorders may be associated with normal pulmonary hemodynamic, hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS), or portopulmonary hypertension (POPH). In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of the severity of liver dysfunctions on blood-borne variables, and pulmonary hemodynamic during repeated ventilation with hyperoxic and hypoxic gases.

METHODS

Female Sprague Dawley rats were assigned into four groups of Sham (n = 7), portal vein ligation (PPVL, n = 7), common bile duct ligation (CBDL, n = 7), and combination of them (CBDL+ PPVL, n = 7). Twenty-eight days later, right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP) and systemic blood pressure were recorded in anesthetized animals subjected to repeated maneuvers of hyperoxia (O₂ 50%) and hypoxia (O₂ 10%). Besides, we assessed blood parameters and liver histology.

RESULTS

Liver histology score, liver enzymes, WBC and plasma malondialdehyde in the CBDL+PPVL group were higher than those in the CBDL group. Also, the plasma platelet level in the CBDL+PPVL group was lower than those in the other groups. On the other hand, the serum estradiol in the CBDL group was higher than that in the CBDL+PPVL group. All the above parameters in the PPVL group were similar to those in the Sham group. During ventilation with hyperoxia gas, RVSP in the CBDL+PPVL group was higher than the ones in the other groups, and in the CBDL group, it was more than those in the PPVL and Sham groups. Hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction (HPV) was not detected in both CBDL+PPVL and CBDL groups, whereas, it retained in the PPVL group.

CONCLUSION

Severe liver damage increases RVSP in the CBDL+PPVL group linked to the high level of ROS, low levels of serum estradiol and platelets or a combination of them. Furthermore, the high RVSP at the noted group could present a reliable animal model for POPH in female rats.

ACVIM consensus statement on the diagnosis and treatment of chronic hepatitis in dogs

This consensus statement on chronic hepatitis (CH) in dogs is based on the expert opinion of 7 specialists with extensive experience in diagnosing, treating, and conducting clinical research in hepatology in dogs. It was generated from expert opinion and information gathered from searching of PubMed for manuscripts on CH, the Veterinary Information Network for abstracts and conference proceeding from annual meetings of the American College of Veterinary Medicine and the European College of Veterinary Medicine, and selected manuscripts from the human literature on CH. The panel recognizes that the diagnosis and treatment of CH in the dog is a complex process that requires integration of clinical presentation with clinical pathology, diagnostic imaging, and hepatic biopsy. Essential to this process is an index of suspicion for CH, knowledge of how to best collect tissue samples, access to a pathologist with experience in assessing hepatic histopathology, knowledge of reasonable medical interventions, and a strategy for monitoring treatment response and complications.