Journal of Practical Hepatology ›› 2020, Vol. 23 ›› Issue (2): 252-255.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1672-5069.2020.02.026

• Liver cirrhosis • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Clinical value of echocardiography in evaluating cardiac structure and function in patients with liver cirrhosis

Hu Xing, Meng Fankun, Han Jing, et al   

  1. Ultrasound and Functional Diagnosis Center, You’an Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 10069, China
  • Received:2019-05-30 Online:2020-03-10 Published:2020-04-20

Abstract: Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical value of echocardiography in evaluating cardiac structure and function in patients with liver cirrhosis (LC). Methods A total of 124 patients with liver cirrhosis and 60 healthy persons were recruited in this study between April, 2018 and April, 2019, and all underwent echocardiography. The model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) were calculated in patients with LC, and 41 were found to be mild with MELD score of ≤9, 35 moderate with 10≤MELD score ≤19, and 22 severe with MELD score ≥20. The cardiac parameters measured by echocardiography included left-atrial end-systolic diameter (LAs), left-ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVd), right-atrial end-systolic diameter (RAs), right-ventricular end-diastolic diameter (RVd), left-ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), and Ea/Aa ratio of mitral annulus by tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) mode, and the pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP) in cirrhotic patients was estimated. Results The LAs in the control group and in the cirrhosis group were (36.3±3.1) and (37.8±4.3), respectively, LVd were (47.8±2.8) and (49.4±4.6), respectively, and the Ea/Aa ratio were (1.1±0.3) and (1.0 ±0.2), respectively, all significantly different (P <0.05); In the mild, moderate, and severe groups of patients with liver cirrhosis, LAs were (36.1±4.2), (38.2±4.1), and (40.1±3.7), respectively, LVd were (47.4±4.5), (50.3±4.4) and (51.4±3.8), respectively, and PASP were (31.2±4.6), (33.4±4.5) and (35.1±5.4), respectively, all significantly different (P <0.05); out of the 124 patients with liver cirrhosis, 9 cases (7.3%) had PASP>40mmHg, diagnosed as having pulmonary hypertension (PAH) . Conclusion With the progression of end-stage liver disease, the function of the hearts in patients with liver cirrhosis gradually decrease, and echocardiography has the clinical application value with high sensitivity and repeatability in evaluating cardiac function and estimating pulmonary artery pressure in cirrhotic patients.

Key words: Liver cirrhosis, Echocardiography, Cardiac function, Pulmonary hypertension