Final answer:
In Hepatopulmonary syndrome, the V/Q ratio is expected to be lower than the normal ratio due to an increase in perfusion with unchanged ventilation leading to a physiological shunt and gas exchange inefficiency.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS), a patient typically exhibits an abnormally low ventilation/perfusion (V/Q) ratio due to the development of pulmonary vascular dilatations, which lead to enhanced perfusion (Q), but unaffected ventilation (V). Effectively, these dilatations serve as a physiological shunt. In HPS, this results in the hallmark feature of arterial deoxygenation, making it quite different from the dead space that occurs because of a V/Q mismatch where the ventilation is present but perfusion is compromised. The significant V/Q mismatch in HPS contributes to ineffective gas exchange, particularly by causing hypoxemia (deficient oxygen in the blood). Therefore, while the exact V/Q ratio can vary from patient to patient in Hepatopulmonary syndrome, it is expected to be lower than the normal V/Q ratio of approximately 0.8 (ventilation and perfusion are roughly equal) due to the elevated perfusion in the setting of normal ventilation.