Hepatopulmonary Syndrome in Poorly Compensated Postnecrotic Liver Cirrhosis by Hepatitis B Virus in Korea

Background Hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS) refers to the association of hypoxemia, intrapulmonary shunting and chronic liver disease. But there is no clear data about the prevalence of HPS in postnecrotic liver cirrhosis by hepatitis B virus (HBV), the most common cause of liver disease in Korea. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of HPS in poorly compensated postnecrotic liver cirrhosis by HBV, and the correlation of the hepatopulmonary syndrome with clinical aspects of postnecrotic liver cirrhosis by HBV.