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Diastolic dysfunction diagnosed by tissue Doppler imaging in cirrhotic patients: Prevalence and its possible
Calogero Falletta1, Daniela Filì2, Cinzia Nugara3
1Cardiology Unit, Department for the Treatment and Study of Cardiothoracic Diseases and Cardiothoracic Transplantation, Mediterranean Institute for Transplantation and Advanced Specialized Therapies (ISMETT), Palermo, Italy.
Insights
Diastolic dysfunction (DDF) affects over a quarter of cirrhotic patients but does not appear to worsen outcomes. Liver disease severity, not DDF, primarily determines prognosis in these patients.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Hepatology
- Gastroenterology
Background:
- Cirrhotic cardiomyopathy involves impaired heart function in patients with liver cirrhosis.
- Diastolic dysfunction (DDF) is a potential component, but its clinical significance remains unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of DDF in cirrhotic patients with normal systolic function.
- To investigate the association between DDF and clinical outcomes, including hospitalization and mortality.
Main Methods:
- Eighty-four cirrhotic patients with normal systolic function were assessed for DDF using tissue Doppler imaging.
- Patient outcomes, including hospitalization and causes of death, were monitored over a mean follow-up of 10 months.
Main Results:
- Diastolic dysfunction (DDF) was diagnosed in 26.2% of patients.
- DDF was more common in patients with ascites and lower albumin levels.
- Patients with DDF did not experience higher rates of hospitalization or death compared to those without DDF.
Conclusions:
- Diastolic dysfunction (DDF) in cirrhotic patients was not clearly associated with adverse outcomes.
- Prognosis in cirrhotic patients is primarily dictated by the underlying severity of liver disease.
Background:
Cirrhotic cardiomyopathy has been characterized by impaired contractile response to stress and/or altered diastolic relaxation, with electrophysiological abnormalities in the absence of known cardiac disease. However, the clinical significance of diastolic dysfunction (DDF) in cirrhotic patients has not been clarified.
Methods:
We studied 84 cirrhotic patients with normal systolic function to evaluate the prevalence of DDF using tissue Doppler imaging, and to investigate the possible correlation of DDF with outcomes (hospitalization, death) and with the specific causes of death.
Results:
The mean follow-up was 10±8months. DDF was diagnosed in 22 patients (26.2%). Patients with DDF more frequently had ascites (90.9% vs. 64.5 %; p=0.026), lower levels of albumin (OR: 5.39; p=0.004), higher NT-proBNP levels, and longer QTc interval (464±23ms vs. 452±30ms; p=0.039). At follow-up, patients with DDF did not have a higher incidence of adverse events in terms of hospitalization and death.
Conclusions:
The presence of diastolic dysfunction has not been found to be clearly associated with outcome, and prognosis has been determined primarily by the severity of liver disease.
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