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Clinical evaluation and hepatic laboratory assessment in individuals with congestive heart failure

Luiz Antônio Brito Arruda Vasconcelos1, Eros Antônio de Almeida, Luiz Felipe Bachur

  • 1Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil. luiz_vasc@yahoo.com.br

Arquivos Brasileiros De Cardiologia
|June 26, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Heart failure (HF) is linked to progressive cholestatic liver function alterations. Transaminase levels only rise in advanced HF, suggesting these liver changes are characteristic of the condition.

Area of Science:

  • Hepatology
  • Cardiology
  • Clinical Medicine

Background:

  • Heart failure (HF) can lead to significant clinical and laboratory abnormalities.
  • Hepatic alterations are common in HF patients but require further characterization across functional classes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate clinical and hepatic laboratory alterations in patients across different heart failure (HF) functional classes.
  • To specifically analyze liver enzyme changes (ALT, AST, AP, GGT, bilirubin) and coagulogram in relation to HF severity.

Main Methods:

  • Cross-sectional study of 50 heart failure patients admitted to a tertiary hospital.
  • Categorization of patients based on HF functional class.
  • Statistical comparison of hepatic laboratory parameters (ALT, AST, AP, GGT, bilirubin, coagulogram) between groups, excluding patients with pre-existing hepatopathy.

Main Results:

  • Transaminase (ALT, AST) levels showed a significant increase only in advanced HF (Class IV).
  • Alkaline phosphatase (AP) and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) exhibited a progressive increase correlating with increasing HF functional class.
  • A progressive cholestatic profile in laboratory alterations was observed with worsening heart failure.

Conclusions:

  • Heart failure is associated with a progressive cholestatic pattern of liver function test abnormalities.
  • Elevated transaminases are indicative of advanced heart failure.
  • Understanding these HF-related hepatic alterations can prevent unnecessary liver investigations in patients with heart failure.
Abstract

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