Kianifar HR, Khalesi M, Mahmoodi E, Afzal Aghaei M. Pentoxifylline in hepatopulmonary syndrome. World J Gastroenterol 2012; 18(35): 4912-4916 [PMID: 23002364 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v18.i35.4912]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Hamid Reza Kianifar, MD, Associate Professor of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Allergy Research Center, Ghaem Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad 91735, Iran. kianifarhr@mums.ac.ir
Article-Type of This Article
Brief Article
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Hamid Reza Kianifar, Allergy Research Center, Ghaem Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad 91735, Iran
Maryam Khalesi, Department of Pediatrics, Ghaem Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad 91735, Iran
Eftekhar Mahmoodi, Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Ghaem Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad 91735, Iran
Monavar Afzal Aghaei, Department of Biostatistics, Faculty of Health, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad 91735, Iran
Author contributions: Kianifar HR is the primary author that contributed to the intellectual content, designed the research, drafted the article, and performed the literature research; Khalesi M is the secondary author who contributed equally to the first author in research performance; Mahmoodi E contributed to this study by echocardiography and data collection; Afzal Aghaei M contributed to data collection and analyzed the data.
Supported by Research Council of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences
Correspondence to: Hamid Reza Kianifar, MD, Associate Professor of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Allergy Research Center, Ghaem Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad 91735, Iran. kianifarhr@mums.ac.ir
Telephone: +98-511-8012762 Fax: +98-511-8458769
Received: June 27, 2011 Revised: May 10, 2012 Accepted: June 8, 2012 Published online: September 21, 2012
Abstract
AIM: To determine the effects of pentoxifylline (PTX) on clinical manifestations and evaluate arterial blood gas data in hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS) in children.
METHODS: In a pilot study of 10 children with chronic liver disease, who had HPS, 20 mg/kg/d PTX was administered for 3 mo. Clinical data and arterial blood gas parameters were evaluated at baseline, the end of the treatment period, and 3 mo after drug discontinuation.
RESULTS: Six patients could tolerate PTX, while four patients experienced complications. Among patients who could tolerate PTX, there was a significant increase in arterial oxygen pressure (PaO2) (P = 0.02) and oxygen saturation (SaO2) (P = 0.04) and alveolar-arterial oxygen gradient (P = 0.02) after 3 mo of treatment. Significant decreases in PaO2 (P = 0.02) and alveolar-arterial oxygen gradient (P = 0.02) were also seen after drug discontinuation.
CONCLUSION: PTX may improve PaO2, SaO2 and alveolar-arterial oxygen gradient in the early stage of HPS.
