AIM: To describe the proportion of patients with cirrhotic cardiomyopathy (CCM) evaluated by stress echocardiography and investigating its association with the severity of liver disease. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted. Cirrhotic patients without risk factors for cardiovascular disease were included. Data regarding etiology and severity of liver disease (Child-Pugh score and model for end-stage liver disease), presence of ascites and gastroesophageal varices, pro-brain natriuretic peptide (pro-BNP) and corrected QT (QTc) interval were collected. Dobutamine stress echocardiography (conventional and tissue Doppler imaging) was performed. CCM was considered present when diastolic and/or systolic dysfunction was diagnosed at rest or after pharmacological stress. Therapy interfering with cardiovascular system was suspended 24 h before the examination. RESULTS: Twenty-six patients were analyzed, 17 (65.4%) Child-Pugh A, mean model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score of 8.7. The global proportion of patients with CCM was 61.5%. At rest, only 2 (7.7%) patients had diastolic dysfunction and none of the patients had systolic dysfunction. Dobutamine stress echocardiography revealed the presence of diastolic dysfunction in more 6 (23.1%) patients and of systolic dysfunction in 10 (38.5%) patients. QTc interval prolongation was observed in 68.8% of the patients and increased pro-BNP levels in 31.2% of them. There was no association between the presence of CCM and liver impairment assessed by Child-Pugh score or MELD (P = 0.775, P = 0.532, respectively). Patients with QTc interval prolongation had a significant higher rate of gastroesophageal varices comparing with those without QTc interval prolongation (95.0% vs 50.0%, P = 0.028). CONCLUSION: CCM is a frequent complication of cirrhosis that is independent of liver impairment. Stress evaluation should always be performed, otherwise it will remain an underdiagnosed condition.
AIM: To describe the proportion of patients with cirrhotic cardiomyopathy (CCM) evaluated by stress echocardiography and investigating its association with the severity of liver disease. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted. Cirrhoticpatients without risk factors for cardiovascular disease were included. Data regarding etiology and severity of liver disease (Child-Pugh score and model for end-stage liver disease), presence of ascites and gastroesophageal varices, pro-brain natriuretic peptide (pro-BNP) and corrected QT (QTc) interval were collected. Dobutamine stress echocardiography (conventional and tissue Doppler imaging) was performed. CCM was considered present when diastolic and/or systolic dysfunction was diagnosed at rest or after pharmacological stress. Therapy interfering with cardiovascular system was suspended 24 h before the examination. RESULTS: Twenty-six patients were analyzed, 17 (65.4%) Child-Pugh A, mean model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score of 8.7. The global proportion of patients with CCM was 61.5%. At rest, only 2 (7.7%) patients had diastolic dysfunction and none of the patients had systolic dysfunction. Dobutamine stress echocardiography revealed the presence of diastolic dysfunction in more 6 (23.1%) patients and of systolic dysfunction in 10 (38.5%) patients. QTc interval prolongation was observed in 68.8% of the patients and increased pro-BNP levels in 31.2% of them. There was no association between the presence of CCM and liver impairment assessed by Child-Pugh score or MELD (P = 0.775, P = 0.532, respectively). Patients with QTc interval prolongation had a significant higher rate of gastroesophageal varices comparing with those without QTc interval prolongation (95.0% vs 50.0%, P = 0.028). CONCLUSION: CCM is a frequent complication of cirrhosis that is independent of liver impairment. Stress evaluation should always be performed, otherwise it will remain an underdiagnosed condition.
Authors: Sherif F Nagueh; Christopher P Appleton; Thierry C Gillebert; Paolo N Marino; Jae K Oh; Otto A Smiseth; Alan D Waggoner; Frank A Flachskampf; Patricia A Pellikka; Arturo Evangelista Journal: J Am Soc Echocardiogr Date: 2009-02 Impact factor: 5.251
Authors: Konstantin Kazankov; Peter Holland-Fischer; Niels H Andersen; Peter Torp; Erik Sloth; Niels K Aagaard; Hendrik Vilstrup Journal: Liver Int Date: 2011-02-15 Impact factor: 5.828
Authors: Andrea Zambruni; Franco Trevisani; Antonio Di Micoli; Francesco Savelli; Annalisa Berzigotti; Eleonora Bracci; Paolo Caraceni; Marco Domenicali; Palmiro Felline; Marco Zoli; Mauro Bernardi Journal: J Hepatol Date: 2007-12-26 Impact factor: 25.083