Liver involvement in hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia (Rendu-Osler-Weber disease)
Report of one case and review of the literature. Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) is an autosomal dominant vascular dysplasia; mutations in at least three genes (ENG, ACVRL1 et MADH4), which are components of transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta, may lead to the clinical picture of HHT. HHT is a multisystemic angiodysplasia, resulting in multiple vascular malformations, involving notably the liver. We report the case of a patient with anicteric cholestasis, revealing HHT. Abdominal CT-scan revealed hepatic artery dilation and multiple arteriovenous fistula. At 2-year follow-up, the patient exhibited liver involvement-associated high output cardiac insufficiency. Liver involvement is frequent in HHT, occurring in 8-31% of patients; it may lead to life-threatening complications, such as high output cardiac failure, portal hypertension or severe cholangitis. Abdominal Doppler ultrasonography is a non-invasive accurate method, suitable for first-line imaging of the liver in patients with HHT; it should be done in all patients, in order to detect HHT-related hepatic vascular malformations.