Cirrhotic patients (nZ40) and controls (nZ15) underwent echocardiography and stress ventriculography.
Fifteen cirrhotics were reevaluated 6–12 months after transplantation.
Results: Cirrhotics had higher left ventricular wall thickness (9.6G1.2 vs. 8.8G1.2 mm; P!0.05) and ejection
fraction (73G6 vs. 65G4%, P!0.001) than controls. Basal diastolic function was similar. During stress, cirrhotics
presented lower increases of heart rate, left ventricular ejection fraction, stroke volume and cardiac index (P!0.05 for
all), and diastolic dysfunction with lower ventricular peak filling rate (PZ0.001). Exercise capacity was reduced (48G
21 vs. 76G24 W; P!0.001). Ascitic patients exhibited more diastolic dysfunction at rest and during stress compared to
non-ascitic patients. Liver transplantation caused regression of ventricular wall thickness (10.2G1.3 vs. 9.5G1.2 mm;
P!0.05), improvement of diastolic function, and normalization of systolic response and exercise capacity during stress
(significant increases in heart rate, ventricular ejection fraction, stroke volume and cardiac index; P!0.05 for all).