Alternative Names
Pulmonary vaso-occlusive disease
Definition of Pulmonary veno-occlusive disease
Pulmonary veno-occlusive disease is an extremely rare form of high blood pressure in the lung area.
Causes, incidence, and risk factors
In most cases, the cause of pulmonary veno-occlusive disease is unknown. The condition may be related to a viral infection. It may occur as a complication of certain diseases such as lupus, or as a complication of leukemia, lymphoma, chemotherapy, or bone marrow transplantation.
Signs and tests
The doctor will perform a physical exam.
Treatment
There is currently no known effective medical treatment. However, the following medications may be helpful for some patients:
Expectations (prognosis)
The outcome is often very poor in infants with a survival rate of just a few weeks. Survival may be months to a few years in adults.
Review
David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; Yi-Bin Chen, MD, Leukemia/Bone Marrow Transplant Program, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc. – 6/2/2010
