First-phase ejection fraction for evaluating early left ventricular systolic function in patients with cirrhosis

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Cardiovascular Imaging
• Cirrhosis Research

Background:

• Left ventricular systolic dysfunction is a common complication in cirrhosis.
• Early detection of cardiac changes is crucial for managing cirrhotic cardiomyopathy.
• First-phase ejection fraction (FPEF) shows promise in identifying subtle systolic alterations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the utility of FPEF in assessing early left ventricular systolic function changes in patients with cirrhosis.
• To compare FPEF with traditional echocardiographic parameters in detecting cirrhotic cardiomyopathy.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 122 cirrhosis patients stratified by Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) class and 39 healthy controls.
• Echocardiographic parameters, including FPEF, ejection fraction (EF), and global longitudinal strain (GLS), were collected.
• Correlation analysis between cardiac parameters and CTP scores was performed.

Main Results:

• FPEF was significantly increased in early cirrhosis (CTP A) and decreased in advanced stages (CTP B and C).
• GLS and EF showed significant decreases in advanced cirrhosis stages.
• FPEF demonstrated a superior area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for diagnosing cirrhotic cardiomyopathy compared to EF and GLS.

Conclusions:

• FPEF is a sensitive marker for early left ventricular systolic dysfunction in cirrhosis.
• FPEF can aid in the early identification and management of cirrhotic cardiomyopathy.
• FPEF offers advantages over conventional measures in assessing cardiac function in cirrhotic patients.