Tehran University Medical Journal

Background: We assessed different systolic cardiac indices to describe left and right ventricular dysfunction in cirrhotic patients before liver transplantation.

Methods: In this case-control study, eighty-one consecutive individuals with the confirmed hepatic cirrhosis and candidate for liver transplantation in the Imam Khomeini Hospital between March 2008 and March 2010 were selected. Thirty-two age and gender cross-matched healthy volunteers were also selected as the control group. A detailed two-dimensional and Doppler echocardiography was obtained in all patients and controls performed by the same operator on the day of admission.

Results: Dimensions of both left and right atriums as well as left ventricular end-diastolic volume and basal right ventricular dimension in the cirrhotic group were significantly higher than control group. Left ventricular end-systolic dimensions as well as aortic annulus diameter were not different between the two study groups. Left ventricular outflow tract velocity time integral, isovolumic pre-ejection time, isovolumic relaxation time, stroke volume, left ventricular ejection fraction, IVCT+IVRT+ET, systolic velocity of tricuspid annulus, systolic velocity of basal segment of RV free wall, systolic velocity of basal segment of septal wall, peak strain of septal margin (base), peak strain of septal margin (midpoint), peak strain of lateral margin (midpoint), strain rate of septal margin (base), strain rate of septal margin (midpoint), strain rate of lateral margin (base), strain rate of lateral margin (midpoint), Tei index (left and right ventricles), systolic time interval and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion were higher in cirrhotic group, significantly, (P< 0.05). Left ventricular ejection time and systolic velocity of mid segment of lateral wall were lower in cirrhotic group, significantly, (P< 0.05).