[Comprehensive characteristics of the pulmonary syndrome in chronic liver diseases]

Combined investigations have shown that the pulmonary syndrome in chronic liver diseases is a group of changes (heterogeneous in their structure and origin), most of which are of intercurrent nature (chronic bronchitis and its complications, chronic pneumonia), the lesser part of them is related directly to an inflammatory liver process and constitutes the true pulmonary syndrome (interstitial pneumonitis, fibrosing alveolitis). In view of the fact that chronic liver pathology is attended by concomitant disorders of pulmonary ventilation, hemodynamics and immunologic homestasis, the authors propose that they should be regarded as a risk factor contributing to the development of respiratory diseases.