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Comparison of the hemodynamics between patients with alcoholic or HCV-related cirrhosis

Kouichi Momiyama1, Hidenari Nagai, Yasukiyo Sumino

  • 1Department of Internal Medicine, Toho University, Tokyo, Japan.

Hepato-Gastroenterology
|January 12, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Alcoholic liver cirrhosis (ALC) and viral liver cirrhosis (CLC) both cause hyperdynamic circulation. However, alcoholic liver cirrhosis shows a more significant decrease in systemic vascular resistance and increased hepatic congestion index, especially in patients with ascites.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Hepatology
  • Internal Medicine

Background:

  • Hyperdynamic circulation (elevated cardiac output, low blood pressure, reduced systemic vascular resistance) is common in liver cirrhosis (LC).
  • Hemodynamic differences between alcoholic LC (ALC) and viral LC (CLC) are not well-defined.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare hemodynamic profiles between patients with ALC and HCV-related CLC.

Main Methods:

  • Ultrasound measurements of cardiac output (CO), portal blood flow (PBF), and hepatic congestion index (HCI).
  • Study included healthy volunteers (HV), chronic hepatitis (CH) patients, CLC patients (with/without ascites), and ALC patients (with/without ascites).

Main Results:

  • Both CLC and ALC groups exhibited higher CO and lower SVR than HV.
  • Hemodynamic changes were more pronounced in the ALC group.
  • Increased HCI was observed in ascitic ALC patients; PBF did not differ significantly across groups.

Conclusions:

  • Progression of ALC and CLC induces hyperdynamic circulation.
  • ALC patients demonstrated a greater reduction in SVR compared to CLC patients.
  • Ascites in ALC patients correlated with an elevated HCI.
Abstract

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