Pulmonary veno-occlusive disease

Definition

Pulmonary veno-occlusive disease (PVOD) is a very rare disease. It leads to high blood pressure in the lung arteries (pulmonary hypertension).

Alternative Names

Pulmonary vaso-occlusive disease

Causes

In most cases, the cause of PVOD is unknown. The high blood pressure occurs in the pulmonary arteries. These lung arteries are directly connected to the right side of the heart.

The condition may be related to a viral infection. It may occur as a complication of certain diseases such as lupus, or bone marrow transplantation.

The disorder is most common among children and young adults. As the disease gets worse, it causes:

Possible risk factors for PVOD include:

Symptoms

Symptoms may include any of the following:

Exams and Tests

Your health care provider will examine you and ask about your medical history and symptoms.

The exam may reveal:

Your provider may hear abnormal heart sounds when listening to the chest and lungs with a stethoscope.

The following tests may be done:

Treatment

There is currently no known effective medical treatment. However, the following medicines may be helpful for some people:

A lung transplant may be needed.

Outlook (Prognosis)

The outcome is often very poor in infants, with a survival rate of just a few weeks. Survival in adults may be months to a few years.

Possible Complications

Complications of PVOD may include:

When to Contact a Medical Professional

Contact your provider if you have symptoms of this disorder.

References

Churg A, Wright JL. Pulmonary hypertension. In: Smith ML, Leslie KO, Wick MR, eds. Practical Pulmonary Pathology: A Diagnostic Approach. 4th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2024:chap 12.

Lammi MR, Mathai SC. Pulmonary hypertension: general approach. In: Broaddus VC, Ernst JD, King TE, et al, eds. Murray and Nadel's Textbook of Respiratory Medicine. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 83.

Maron BA. Pulmonary hypertension. In: Libby P, Bonow RO, Mann DL, Tomaselli GF, Bhatt DL, Solomon SD, eds. Braunwald's Heart Disease: A Textbook of Cardiovascular Medicine. 12th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 88.



Review Date: 6/17/2024
Reviewed By: Todd Gersten, MD, Hematology/Oncology, Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute, Wellington, FL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
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