Evaluation of Cardiac Function in Patients with Liver Cirrhosis

AIM OF THE STUDY: To study the cardiac function in patients with liver cirrhosis. METHODS: Thirty patients with liver cirrhosis, referred to as group I (G 1), were selected. They were subdivided according to Child-Pugh classification into 3 groups: A, B, and C. Thirty healthy subjects, referred to as group II (G II), were selected as a control group. All persons were examined by resting ECG, abdominal ultrasound, laboratory tests, and echo-Doppler evaluation of systolic and diastolic functions of both ventricles using 2-D, M-mode, conventional Doppler, and tissue Doppler parameters. RESULTS: Systolic and diastolic blood pressures were significantly reduced with increased resting HR and CO in G I (p<0.05). The QTc interval was prolonged in G I (0.45±0.03 ms; p<0.001) but EDV, ESV, EF%, and S´ velocity were not significantly different in both study groups for both ventricles. LAD, MPI, LVPWT, and, IVST were significantly increased in G I (p<0.05). E/A and E´/A´ ratios were reversed in G I with increased DT/E for both ventricles (p<0.001). No significant difference was found among Child A, B, C subgroups except for the LAD which was significantly increased in Child C (p<0.05). There was a significant inverse correlation between serum albumin and left ventricular MPI (r=-0.4, p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Many cardiovascular abnormalities occur in patients with liver cirrhosis that mandate echocardiographic evaluation especially in cases who undergo any procedure which may affect the hemodynamics.