Diastolic dysfunction in cirrhosis.

Development of esophageal varices, ascites, and hepatic nephropathy is among the major complications of cirrhosis. The presence of cirrhotic cardiomyopathy, which includes a left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (DD), seems to deteriorate the course of the disease and the prognosis. Increased stiffness of the cirrhotic heart may decrease the compliance and result in DD. The prevalence of DD in cirrhotic patients averages about 50 %. It can be evaluated by transmitral Doppler echocardiography, tissue Doppler echocardiography, and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. There seems to be a relation between DD and the severity of liver dysfunction and the presence of ascites. After liver transplantation, DD worsens the prognosis and increases the risk of graft rejection, but DD improves after few months. Insertion of a transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt increases left ventricular diastolic volumes, and DD is a predictor of poorer survival in these patients. Future studies should aim at disclosing pathophysiological mechanisms behind the developing of DD in cirrhosis in relation to patient characteristics, development of complications, treatment, and risk associated with interventional procedures.