# Prevalence of Pulmonary Hypertension in Liver Cirrhosis Patients: A Cross-Sectional Analytical Study

## TL;DR

This study found that about 30% of liver cirrhosis patients have pulmonary hypertension, highlighting the need for early detection.

## Contribution

The study provides new prevalence data on pulmonary hypertension in liver cirrhosis patients in a specific clinical setting.

## Key findings

- Pulmonary hypertension was present in 30.5% of liver cirrhosis patients.
- Mild pulmonary hypertension was the most common type observed.
- Symptoms like cough and ascites were linked to higher risk of pulmonary hypertension.

## Abstract

Background: Liver cirrhosis (LC) is a common complication of chronic liver disease. Its prevalence has increased markedly over the last few years. With liver cirrhosis comes cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. It is important that the detection of the abnormalities by echocardiography be given priority, as this can change the clinical outcome of these patients with cardiovascular abnormalities in liver cirrhosis.

Aim: This study aims to determine the prevalence of pulmonary hypertension in LC patients.

Methods and materials: A cross-sectional analytical study was carried out at JUTH (Jos University Teaching Hospital) over a period of one year. We recruited 210 adult patients with liver cirrhosis from the gastroenterology clinic and wards for this study. Data from these patients were collected with questionnaires administered by the interviewer and analysed using SPSS 23 statistical software (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY). The data obtained are presented in tables and charts. Categorical variables were expressed as proportions and frequencies, while continuous data were expressed as the median, mean, and standard deviation.

Results: Pulmonary hypertension was found in 30.5% of the participants, with mild pulmonary hypertension being the most common. No one had severe pulmonary hypertension. There was an increased risk of developing pulmonary hypertension in patients with coughs, easy fatigability, bilateral leg swelling, abdominal swelling, and ascites (P<0.05).

Conclusion: The result showed that there is a high prevalence of pulmonary hypertension in patients with liver cirrhosis.