Diastolic dysfunction characterizes cirrhotic cardiomyopathy

Hepatocardiorenal syndrome in liver cirrhosis: Recognition of a new entity?

Emerging evidence and perspectives have pointed towards the heart playing an important role in hepatorenal syndrome (HRS), outside of conventional understanding that liver cirrhosis is traditionally considered the sole origin of a cascade of pathophysiological mechanisms directly affecting the kidneys in this context. In the absence of established heart disease, cirrhotic cardiomyopathy may occur more frequently in those with liver cirrhosis and kidney disease. It is a specific form of cardiac dysfunction characterized by blunted contractile responsiveness to stress stimuli and altered diastolic relaxation with electrophysiological abnormalities. Despite the clinical description of these potential cardiac-related complications of the liver, the role of the heart has traditionally been an overlooked aspect of circulatory dysfunction in HRS. Yet from a physiological sense, temporality (prior onset) of cardiorenal interactions in HRS and positive effects stemming from portosystemic shunting demonstrated an important role of the heart in the development and progression of kidney dysfunction in cirrhotic patients. In this review, we discuss current concepts surrounding how the heart may influence the development and progression of HRS, and the role of systemic inflammation and endothelial dysfunction causing circulatory dysfunction within this setting. The temporality of heart and kidney dysfunction in HRS will be discussed. For a subgroup of patients who receive portosystemic shunting, the dynamics of cardiorenal interactions following treatment is reviewed. Continued research to determine the unknowns in this topic is anticipated, hopefully to further clarify the intricacies surrounding the liver-heart-kidney connection and improve strategies for management.

Study of Cardiac Dysfunction in Portal Hypertension: A Single-Center Experience From Eastern India

INTRODUCTION

Cardiac functional abnormalities are common in patients with cirrhosis of the liver. Nonetheless, the effect of portal hypertension and liver disorder on cardiac abnormalities is yet to be investigated. The current study evaluated the contribution of cirrhotic and non-cirrhotic portal hypertension as the potential cause of cardiac abnormalities.

METHODS

The present study was a cross-sectional observational study. After excluding known heart diseases, 128 patients with portal hypertension from different causes were enrolled in the study. Cardiac functional activity was assessed by electrocardiogram (ECG) and transthoracic echocardiography (TTE).  Results: This study included a total of 128 patients, out of which 24 had extrahepatic portal vein obstruction (EHPVO), four patients had Budd-Chiari syndrome and 100 had liver cirrhosis. Normal ventricular function was observed in patients with EHPVO and Budd-Chiari syndrome. Sixty-eight percent of cases had liver cirrhosis diastolic abnormalities. The mean QTc interval in patients with cirrhotic cardiomyopathy (CCM) was 0.49 ± 0.05 sec which was significantly increased when compared to patients without CCM with 0.432 ± 0.07 at p=0.0016. The Child Turcotte Pugh (CTP) score and MELD (Model for End-Stage Liver Disease) score in patients with CCM were significantly higher as compared to patients without CCM. All alcoholic cirrhotic and non-alcoholic cirrhotic patients had equal prevalence of diastolic dysfunction (p-value >0.05).

CONCLUSION

 Patients with Child class C or a high MELD score are associated with a higher prevalence rate of CCM while normal cardiac function was observed among patients having portal hypertension due to extrahepatic causes. We recommend cardiac evaluation by echocardiography in all cirrhotic patients. Institution of specific medical therapy and early referral for liver transplantation should be considered to improve survival in patients with decompensated cirrhosis.

Is Cirrhotic Cardiomyopathy Related to Cirrhosis Severity?

OBJECTIVE

Cirrhotic cardiomyopathy (CCM) is associated with increased morbidity and mortality in patients with liver cirrhosis. Yet, it remains an under-diagnosed entity. Further, its relation to the severity of cirrhosis is contradictory. We conducted this study on an Indian population to determine the cardiac dysfunctions in cirrhosis of the liver and correlations with etiologies and cirrhosis severity.

METHODS

This study enrolled patients with diagnosed liver cirrhosis without any cardiac disease or conditions affecting cardiac function. All participants were evaluated clinically, electrocardiographically, and echocardiographically. Cirrhosis severity was assessed by scores from the Model for End-stage Liver Disease (MELD) and Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) tests. Cirrhotic cardiomyopathy was defined as diastolic dysfunction and/or systolic dysfunction with QT prolongation.

RESULTS

Ninety-six patients were evaluated, and CTP-A stage of cirrhosis was found in 23 (24%), CTP-B in 42 (43.8%), and CTP-C in 31 (32.3%) cases. Systolic dysfunction was most frequent (P=0.014), and left ventricular ejection fraction was significantly reduced (P=0.001) in CTP-C stage of cirrhosis. Cirrhotic cardiomyopathy was found in 39.6% (n=38) of patients; CCM patients had significantly higher CTP scores (9.6±2.6 versus 8.3±2.3, P=0.012) as well as MELD scores (19.72±4.9 versus 17.41±4.1, P=0.015) in comparison to patients without CCM.

CONCLUSION

Cirrhotic cardiomyopathy has a positive relationship with the severity of cirrhosis. Systolic function declines with the severity of cirrhosis, and overt systolic dysfunction can be present, particularly in the advanced stage of cirrhosis of the liver.

Impact of Cirrhotic Cardiomyopathy Diagnosed According to Different Criteria on Patients with Cirrhosis Awaiting Liver Transplantation: A Retrospective Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

Recently, the Cirrhotic Cardiomyopathy Consortium (Consortium) proposed criteria to replace the World Congress of Gastroenterology (WGO) criteria for cirrhotic cardiomyopathy (CCM) using contemporary echocardiography parameters. We assessed the impact of substituting WGO by Consortium criteria on the frequency of diagnosis and clinical outcomes in patients with cirrhosis awaiting liver transplantation (LT).

METHODS

Consecutive adults with cirrhosis approved for LT with echocardiography evaluation from January 2014 to December 2016 were screened. Patients with structural heart diseases were excluded. Two primary outcomes were: (1) frequency of CCM; (2) association of CCM with pre-transplant mortality. The secondary outcomes were pre-LT complications of acute kidney injury (AKI) and/or hepatic encephalopathy (HE), and post-LT mortality.

RESULTS

Of 386 patients screened, 278 were included. 238 (85.6%) and 208 (74.8%) patients met Consortium and WGO criteria, respectively; 180 (64.7%) patients fulfilled both the criteria, while 12 (4.3%) patients had no evidence of CCM by either criterion. Pre-LT mortality rates in Consortium-CCM group were similar to the other groups (19.3% vs 20.2% vs 25.0%). The patients with advanced diastolic dysfunction (DD) per Consortium-CCM criteria had higher mortality than the other groups. The rates of pre-LT AKI/HE rates and post-LT mortality were similar in Consortium-CCM and WGO-CCM groups.

CONCLUSION

The Consortium criteria do not impact the prevalence of CCM compared to WGO criteria and have similar predictive accuracy. Presence of advanced DD per the Consortium criteria increases the risk of pre-LT mortality and complications of AKI/HE. The patients with advanced DD could benefit from further monitoring and treatment.

A Prospective Study of Prevalence and Predictors of Cirrhotic Cardiomyopathy and Its Role in Development of Hepatorenal Syndrome

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Cirrhotic cardiomyopathy (CCM) is a term used to collectively describe abnormal structural and functional changes in heart of patients with cirrhosis. The present study was undertaken to find the prevalence of CCM in patients with liver cirrhosis and its predictors. We also followed these patients to evaluate the role of CCM in the development of hepatorenal syndrome (HRS).

MATERIALS & METHODS

This was a prospective study carried out in department of Gastroenterology, Sir Ganga Ram hospital, New Delhi. A total of 104 patients with liver cirrhosis were included. Liver cirrhosis was diagnosed on basis of clinical, biochemical, and imaging features. CCM was defined based on echocardiography. Dobutamine stress echocardiography and hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG) were performed in patients who gave consent. HRS was defined as per standard criteria. Patients with CCM were followed for development of HRS.

RESULTS

Fifty (48%) patients were diagnosed with CCM. All patients had diastolic dysfunction, and none had systolic dysfunction. Median age of patients with CCM was significantly higher (59 [31-78 y] vs. 52 [24-70 y], P < 0.05). Severity of liver disease (Child Turcotte Pugh score and model for end-stage liver disease score) and portal pressures (HVPG) did not differ in patients with or without CCM. Patients with CCM did not have increased incidence of HRS at the end of 6-month follow-up study.

CONCLUSION

The presence of CCM was not related with the severity of liver dysfunction or portal pressures. Age was a significant determinant of CCM. Diastolic cardiac dysfunction does not influence the occurrence of HRS.

Diastolic Dysfunction Is a Predictor of Poor Survival in Patients with Decompensated Cirrhosis

BACKGROUND

Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) appears to be the earliest cardiac disturbance in cirrhosis patients. There are many previous reports reporting the significance of severity of LVDD on the outcome of liver transplantation or TIPS insertion, a few Indian studies have addressed the role of LVDD on survival in decompensated cirrhosis. The objective of this study is to assess the effect of LVDD on the survival of decompensated cirrhotic patients.

METHODS

We prospectively evaluated 92 decompensated cirrhotic patients from April 2015 to March 2017 at IMS and SUM Hospital, Bhubaneswar, India. 2D echocardiography with tissue Doppler imaging was used to evaluate cardiac function, as per the American society of echocardiography guidelines. The primary endpoint was to evaluate the effect of LVDD on overall mortality.

RESULTS

Ninety-two decompensated cirrhotic patients were evaluated in this prospective cohort study. Twenty-eight out of 92 patients (30%) died due to liver-related complications after a follow-up of 24 months. The decompensated cirrhotic patients with MELD score ≥ 15 had a significantly higher E/e' ratio (11.94 ± 4.24 vs. 8.74 ± 3.32, p < 0.001) suggesting severe LV dysfunction in advanced cirrhosis. Patients with E/e' ratio > 10 had significantly higher MELD score and Child-Pugh score (19.88 ± 7.72 vs. 14.31 ± 5.83; 10.25 ± 1.74 vs. 9.02 ± 1.74, p < 0.01, respectively) as compared to theE/e' ratio < 10 group. In Cox proportional hazard multivariate analysis, E/e' ≥ 10 (HR 2.72, 95% CI 1.07-6.9, p = 0.03) and serum albumin (HR 0.32, 95% CI 0.14-0.7, p < 0.01) were found to be independent predictors of mortality in decompensated cirrhotic patients.

CONCLUSION

: The presence of LVDD and low serum albumin were independent predictors of mortality in decompensated cirrhotic patients. Hence, LVDD is an indicator of advanced cirrhosis and mortality.

Factors Predicting Cardiac Dysfunction in Patients with Liver Cirrhosis

BACKGROUND Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) is the earliest cardiac dysfunction noted in patients with liver cirrhosis, which increases the morbidity and mortality in such patients. There are sparse studies from India evaluating the predictive factors of LVDD in patients with cirrhosis. Hence we undertook this prospective study with an aim to evaluate the factors predicting the development of LVDD in liver cirrhosis. METHODS 104 patients with cirrhosis were enrolled in this prospective study. A detailed cardiac evaluation was done by 2 D echocardiography with tissue Doppler imaging by an experienced senior cardiologist. The severity of liver disease was defined by Model For End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) and Child-Pugh score. RESULTS The prevalence of LVDD was 46% in our study. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that serum albumin, MELD score, and presence of ascites (OR = 0.1, 95%CI 0.03-0.3, p < 0.001; Or = 1.12, 95%CI 1.03-1.22, p < 0.001; OR = 4.19, 95%CI 1.38-12.65, p < 0.01, respectively) were independent predictors of LVDD in patients with cirrhosis. Diastolic dysfunction was unrelated to age, sex, and etiology of cirrhosis. The patients with cirrhosis and LVDD had significantly higher child Pugh score, MELD score, and lower serum albumin than patients without LVDD. The echocardiographic parameters like E/e' ratio, Deceleration time (DT), and Left atrial volume index (LAVI) were significantly different in cirrhotic patients with higher MELD and child Pugh score than lower. CONCLUSION The present study showed a significant correlation of diastolic dysfunction with the severity of the liver disease. Low serum albumin, high MELD score, and presence of ascites significantly predict the development of LVDD in patients with cirrhosis.

Preconditioning and anti-apoptotic effects of Metformin and Cyclosporine-A in an isolated bile duct-ligated rat heart

Despite all previous studies relating to the mechanism of cirrhotic cardiomyopathy (CCM), the role of cirrhosis on Ischemic Preconditioning (IPC) has not yet been explored. The present study strives to assess the cardioprotective role of IPC in bile duct ligated (BDL) rats as well as the cardioprotective role of Cyclosporin-A (CsA) and Metformin (Met) in CCM. Cirrhosis was induced by bile duct ligation (BDL). Rats' hearts were isolated and attached to a Langendorff Apparatus. The pharmacological preconditioning with Met and CsA was done before the main ischemia. Myocardial infarct size, hemodynamic and electrophysiological parameters, biochemical markers, and apoptotic indices were determined at the end of the experiment. Infarct size, apoptotic indices, arrhythmia score, and incidence of VF decreased significantly in the IPC group in comparison with the I/R group. These significant decreases were abolished in the IPC (BDL) group. Met significantly decreased the infarct size and apoptotic indices compared with I/R (BDL) and normal groups, while CsA led to similar decreases except in the level of caspase-3 and -8. Met and CsA decreased and increased the arrhythmia score and incidence of VF in the BDL groups, respectively. Functional recovery indices decreased in the I/R (BDL) and IPC (BDL) groups. Met improved these parameters. Therefore, the current study depicted that the cardioprotective effect of Met and CsA on BDL rats is mediated through the balance between pAMPK and apoptosis in the mitochondria.

Cirrhotic Cardiomyopathy - A Veiled Threat

Cirrhotic cardiomyopathy (CCM) is defined as cardiac dysfunction in patients with liver cirrhosis without pre-existing cardiac disease. According to the definition established by the World Congress of Gasteroenterology in 2005, the diagnosis of CCM includes criteria reflecting systolic dysfunction, impaired diastolic relaxation, and electrophysiological disturbances. Because of minimal or even absent clinical symptoms and/or echocardiographic signs at rest according to the 2005 criteria, CCM diagnosis is often missed or delayed in most clinically-stable cirrhotic patients. However, cardiac dysfunction progresses in time and contributes to the pathogenesis of hepatorenal syndrome and increased morbidity and mortality after liver transplantation, surgery or other invasive procedures in cirrhotic patients. Therefore, a comprehensive cardiovascular assessment using newer techniques for echocardiographic evaluation of systolic and diastolic function, allowing the diagnosis of CCM in the early stage of subclinical cardiovascular dysfunction, should be included in the screening process of liver transplant candidates and patients with cirrhosis in general. The present review aims to summarize the most important pathophysiological aspects of CCM, the usefulness of contemporary cardiovascular imaging techniques and parameters in the diagnosis of CCM, the current therapeutic options, and the importance of early diagnosis of cardiovascular impairment in cirrhotic patients.

Autonomic and diastolic dysfunction association with quality of life impairment in cirrhotic patients

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS

Cirrhosis is a multisystem disorder characterized by hyperdynamic circulation which can progress to multiple organ dysfunctions. Recent studies have demonstrated autonomic dysfunction and cirrhotic cardiomyopathy including diastolic dysfunction, systolic dysfunction with electrophysiologic abnormalities in patients with cirrhosis. Due to the long and complicated course of the disease, health related quality of life is affected. We aimed to evaluate the frequency of diastolic dysfunction and autonomic dysfunction in cirrhosis, and the effects on health-related quality of life.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Hundred cirrhotic patients were enrolled in the study. According to the Child-Pugh classification 35 patients were of Child A, 36 of Child B and 29 of Child C. The proportion of autonomic dysfunction was 52%, and diastolic dysfunction 51%. Autonomic dysfunction was diagnosed using bedside maneuvers and tests; diastolic dysfunction was diagnosed using the E/A ratio in echocardiographic findings. Health-related quality of life measurements was obtained from an SF-36 questionnaire.

RESULTS

Patients with advanced Child-Pugh classifications were found to have significantly lower health-related quality of life values (p < 0.05). Likewise, health-related quality of life values were observed to be significantly lower in patients with autonomic dysfunction (p < 0.05). No significant difference was found in health related quality of life measurements between patients with and without diastolic dysfunction.

CONCLUSION

Our study showed that autonomic dysfunction and diastolic dysfunction are found in patients with cirrhosis. Further studies are needed to assess the effects of autonomic dysfunction and diastolic dysfunction on health-related quality of life.

Association of N- terminal pro brain natriuretic peptide with echocardiographic measures of diastolic dysfunction in cirrhosis

Background:

Liver cirrhosis is associated with cardiac dysfunction in 40%–60% of the patients. Serum NT-ProBNP is a potential additional marker of cirrhotic cardiomyopathy.

Materials and Methods:

It was a cross-sectional analytical study done in a tertiary care center in South India on 100 patients of cirrhosis of liver. Diastolic function was assessed from mitral inflow parameters as well as tissue Doppler imaging of the left ventricle in 95 patients. Serum NT-ProBNP levels was measured once at the time of inclusion into the study. Cirrhotic cardiomyopathy was diagnosed in those with abnormal echocardiographic parameters and its association with NT-Pro BNP levels was analyzed. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 22.

Results:

Diastolic dysfunction was found in 40 (42.1%) participants. Twenty-two (23.2%) had Grade I, 16 (16.8%) had Grade II, and 2 (2.1%) had Grade III diastolic dysfunction. The mean NT-Pro-BNP was elevated (107.38 [±66.76] ng/ml) in patients with diastolic dysfunction. NT-ProBNP was higher in Child–Pugh B and C disease when compared to milder disease. NT-ProBNP was not a good screening tool for cardiomyopathy in cirrhotic patients. Area under the curve was 0.517 with 95% confidence interval and the P = 0.77. However, positive correlation was present between the NT-ProBNP value and two echocardiographic parameters of diastolic dysfunction (E/A, E/E').

Conclusion:

Increased serum NT-ProBNP levels in cirrhosis of liver have a positive correlation with echocardiographic measures of diastolic dysfunction of the heart but it is not a good tool for screening for cirrhotic cardiomyopathy.

Liver cirrhosis and left ventricle diastolic dysfunction: Systematic review

BACKGROUND

Liver cirrhosis is a chronic hepatic disease which is associated with cardiovascular abnormalities. Hyperdynamic circulation in liver cirrhosis causes functional and structural cardiac alterations. The prevalence of left ventricle diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) in cirrhotic patients ranges from 25.7% to as high as 81.4% as reported in different studies. In several studies the severity of diastolic dysfunction (DD) correlated with a degree of liver failure and the rate of dysfunction was higher in patients with decompensated cirrhosis compared with compensated. Future directions of comprehensive assessment of cardiac function in cirrhotic patients might provide a better prognosis for these patients.

AIM

To clarify the correlation between the severity of liver cirrhosis and left ventricle diastolic dysfunction in the existing literature.

METHODS

Through January and February of 2019 at Vilnius University we conducted a systematic review of the global existing literature on the prevalence of left ventricle diastolic dysfunction in patients with liver cirrhosis. We searched for articles in PubMed, Medline and Web of science databases. Articles were selected by using adequate inclusion and exclusion criteria. Our interest was the outcome of likely correlation between the severity of cirrhosis [evaluated by Child-Pugh classes, Model For End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) scores] and left ventricle diastolic dysfunction [classified according to American Society of Echocardiography (ASE) guidelines (2009, 2016)], as well as relative risk of dysfunction in cirrhotic patients. Subgroup analyses were performed to evaluate the ratio and grades of left ventricle diastolic dysfunction with respect to cirrhosis severity.

RESULTS

A total of 1149 articles and abstracts met the initial search criteria. Sixteen articles which met the predefined eligibility criteria were included in the final analysis. Overall, 1067 patients (out of them 723 men) with liver cirrhosis were evaluated for left ventricle diastolic dysfunction. In our systemic analysis we have found that 51.2% of cirrhotic patients had left ventricle diastolic dysfunction diagnosed and the grade 1 was the most prevalent (59.2%, P < 0.001) among them, the grade 3 had been rarely diagnosed - only 5.1%. The data about the prevalence of diastolic dysfunction in cirrhotic patients depending on Child-Pugh Classes was available from 5 studies (365 patients overall) and only in 1 research diastolic dysfunction was found being associated with severity of liver cirrhosis (P < 0.005). We established that diastolic dysfunction was diagnosed in 44.6% of Child-Pugh A class patients, in 62% of Child B class and in 63.3% of Child C patients (P = 0.028). The proportion of patients with higher diastolic dysfunction grades increases in more severe cirrhosis presentation (P < 0.001). There was no difference between mean MELD scores in patients with and without diastolic dysfunction and in different diastolic dysfunction groups. In all studies diastolic dysfunction was more frequent in patients with ascites.

CONCLUSION

This systemic analysis suggests that left ventricle diastolic dysfunction is an attribute of liver cirrhosis which has not received sufficient attention from clinicians so far. Future suggestions of a comprehensive assessment of cardiac function in cirrhotic patients might provide a better prognosis for these patients and give hint for better understanding of the left ventricle diastolic dysfunction pathogenesis in liver cirrhosis.

Prevalence and clinical presentation of cirrhotic cardiomyopathy: A single centre experience from southern India

BACKGROUND

There are scanty data from India on the prevalence and clinical profile of cirrhotic cardiomyopathy (CCM).

AIM

To identify the prevalence and clinical presentation of CCM in patients with liver cirrhosis.

METHODS

Five hundred and eighty-six patients with liver cirrhosis were recruited based on inclusion criteria and evaluated for cardiac parameters using electrocardiography, 2-dimensional echocardiography, dobutamine stress test and coronary angiography as needed. Baseline demographic data, liver biochemistry, endoscopic and radiological findings were recorded in all the patients. Appropriate statistical analyses were performed.  RESULTS: Four thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven patients with liver disease were registered during the study period. Five hundred and eighty-six cirrhotic patients had cardiac evaluation as per the study protocol. One hundred fifty-nine had coronary artery disease and were excluded. One hundred and ninety-eight of 427 remaining patients (46.4%) had CCM. The median age of patients with CCM was higher compared with those without CCM (52 years vs. 46 years; p-value < 0.00001). Likewise, cirrhosis-related complications ([isolated or in combination], lower pulse rate [< 60/min] and prolonged corrected QT interval [QTc]; p<0.00001) were more frequent in patients with CCM. After excluding known risk factors for CCM such as alcohol, diabetes, hypothyroidism, hypertension, the true prevalence of CCM was 8.2% (48 out of 586). Hepatotropic viral infections (p 0.03) and prolonged QTc (p 0.0004) were commoner in CCM.

CONCLUSION

Prevalence of CCM in our setting is 33.8%. CCM is commoner in males and is independent of the etiology of cirrhosis, comorbidity and severity of liver disease. Diastolic dysfunction and prolonged QTc interval are common in CCM.

In HCV-related liver cirrhosis, local pulse wave velocity increases and in decompensated patients correlates with poorer survival

Background

Cirrhotic cardiomyopathy (CCM) refers to cardiac dysfunction in patients with liver cirrhosis, in the absence of other known cardiac disease.

Methods

Control group and patients diagnosed of liver cirrhosis without known cardiac disease or hepatocellular carcinoma were enrolled for this clinical observation study. Patients with diabetes mellitus, hypertension were excluded. Absolute global longitudinal strain, one-point carotid pulse wave velocity (one-point PWV) and various parameters were measured in resting status.

Results

There were 29 participants in the control group and 80 patients in the liver cirrhosis group. 27.8% of cirrhotic patients presented with normal systolic but abnormal diastolic functions and QTc prolongation that were compatible with CCM. 34.2% of cirrhotic patients presented with diastolic dysfunction in resting state comparing to 24.1% in control group. Systolic functions did not show conspicuous difference between cirrhosis and control group nor between compensated and decompensated cirrhosis, neither. Furthermore, one-point PWV was significantly higher in liver cirrhosis than in control group and higher in CCM than in non-CCM patients. One-point PWV predicted CCM and diastolic dysfunction in cirrhosis. Most importantly, its value > 1370cm/s predicted overall mortalities in decompensated cirrhosis (multivariable Cox analysis OR = 6.941) in addition to CTP score specifically in HCV related cirrhotic patients (AUC = 0.817).

Conclusions

In patients with cirrhosis, 27.8% were diagnosed with CCM by resting cardiovascular parameters. One-point PWV increased in CCM, correlated with diastolic dysfunction. It also correlated with overall mortality in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) related decompensated cirrhosis. Further study may be needed to confirm its capability for assessing CV and mortality risks in HCV related decompensated cirrhotic patients.

Cirrhotic cardiomyopathy is less prevalent in patients with Budd-Chiari syndrome than cirrhosis of liver

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Cirrhotic cardiomyopathy (CCM) is associated with high mortality after transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) and liver transplantation in patients with cirrhosis. There is no data about the prevalence or impact of CCM in Budd-Chiari syndrome (BCS). We assessed the prevalence of CCM in patients with BCS and its impact on outcome after radiological intervention.

METHODS

Thirty-three consecutive patients with BCS (15 men) and 33 controls with hepatitis B-related cirrhosis (18 men, matched for Child-Pugh score) were evaluated with baseline electrocardiography (ECG), echocardiography (ECHO) and dobutamine stress ECHO, and ECG (DSE). The two groups were compared for prevalence of CCM. Patients with BCS with and without CCM were assessed for development of heart failure, duration of intensive care unit (ICU) stay, and in-hospital mortality immediately after radiological intervention.

RESULTS

Fewer patients with BCS had CCM (7/21 vs. 21/33; p = 0.001, OR-0.16, CI [0.05-0.5]), diastolic dysfunction (DD) (0/33 vs. 6/33; p = 0.01, OR-0.06, CI [0.00-1.1]), and prolonged QTc interval (5/33 vs.17/33; p = 0.001, OR-0.16, CI [0.05-0.5]) despite correction for age. Patients with BCS had lower end-systolic and end-diastolic volumes of left and right ventricles. None of the 19 patients (five with CCM) with BCS undergoing radiological intervention (12 TIPS, 4 inferior vena cava, and 3 hepatic vein stenting) developed heart failure or had prolonged ICU stay. There was no in-hospital mortality.

CONCLUSION

Patients with BCS have lower frequency of CCM as compared to patients with cirrhosis. CCM may not adversely affect outcomes after radiological interventions.

Cirrhotic cardiomyopathy: Implications for liver transplantation

The majority of patients on a waiting list for liver transplantation have end-stage liver disease. Because of the marked peripheral vasodilatation of end-stage cirrhosis that masks a latent myocardial dysfunction, cardiac abnormalities in the resting state are usually subclinical and escape the attention of physicians. However, when challenged, the systolic and diastolic contractile responses are attenuated. In addition to these contractile abnormalities, morphological changes, such as enlargement or hypertrophy of cardiac chambers, and electrophysiological repolarization changes, including a prolonged QT interval, can be observed. The constellation of these cardiac abnormalities is termed cirrhotic cardiomyopathy. Liver transplantation induces significant cardiovascular stress. Clamping of the inferior vena cava and portal vein, hemorrhage and blood/volume infusion, and ischemia/reperfusion all cause hemodynamic fluctuation. The changing cardiac preload and afterload status increases the cardiac workload, and thus, the previously subclinical ventricular dysfunction may manifest as overt heart failure during the operative and perioperative periods. Cardiac dysfunction contributes to morbidity and mortality associated with liver transplantation. Cardiovascular events are the third leading cause of death in liver recipients. However, because liver transplantation is the only definitive treatment for end-stage liver failure and also appears to reverse cardiac abnormalities, it is important to understand the challenges of the heart in liver transplantation. This review focuses on cardiac status before, during, and after liver transplantation. Liver Transplantation 23 826-835 2017 AASLD.

Cirrhotic cardiomyopathy: Basic and clinical research

Cirrhotic cardiomyopathy (CCM) is a common complication of liver cirrhosis. Recent research found that a blunted inotropic and chronotropic response to stress, systolic and diastolic dysfunctions and prolongation of the QT interval are major reasons for the development of cardiovascular events under stress conditions in CCM patients. Myocardial apoptosis, abnormalities of adrenergic transduction pathways, gaseous signal molecule imbalance and derangement of various ion channels are involved in the development of CCM. The combination of measurement of BNP, H₂S, electrocardiogram and echocardiography (resting and stress) is' helpful in the diagnosis of CCM. Liver transplantation is the only proven treatment with specific effect on CCM. Monitoring of cardiac function and timely treatment in case of severe trauma and infection are effective measures for preventing cardiovascular events. Only aldosterone antagonists have certain effects on CCM. The clinical efficacy of TCM therapy needs to be verified in future studies. New agents, targeting its pathogenic mechanisms, such as supplementing exogenous hydrogen sulfide, may play a role in patients who cannot undergo liver transplantation.