Echocardiographic Findings in Cirrhotic Patients with and without Ascites Compared to Normal

Liver cirrhosis involves most organs and systems. Abnormalities in cardiac function have been reported in liver cirrhosis, suggesting a latent cardiomyopathy in these patients. So the aim of this study was to evaluate the cardiac function by echocardiography in cirrhotic patients and controls.

This case-control study was carried out on 15 cirrhotic patients without ascites, 15 cirrhotic patients with moderate-to-severe ascites (based on clinical criteria, laboratory, ultrasound and endoscopy), and 15 healthy controls. Controls were selected from the relatives of cirrhotic patients. All persons were evaluated echocardiography. Sex, age, blood pressure and echocardiographic findings were recorded and compared.

Heart rate (96.68.39 in without ascites, 89.735.11 in ascites and 766.87 in controls), left atrium diameters (40.22.57 in without ascites, 35.22.93 in ascites and 31.270.88 in controls) and right (42.82.76 in without ascites, 421.51 in ascites and 31.40.91 in controls), left ventricle end systolic (46.733.97 in without ascites, 43.41.8 in ascites and 411 in controls) and diastolic (30.731.94 in without ascites, 31.21.74 in ascites and 27.270.7 in controls) diameters and E/A ratio (0.550.15 in without ascites, 0.670.1 in ascites and 1.280.2 in controls) in cirrhotic patients with and without ascites was significantly higher than control group (p<0.05).

Results showed that liver cirrhosis is associated with enlarged cardiac chamber and diastolic dysfunction.