title: Ascites as a marker for the hyperdynamic heart of Laennec's cirrhosis.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to determine the relation of the circulatory findings of cirrhosis to hepatic decompensation. Twenty individuals with biopsy-proven cirrhosis and 15 aged-matched controls underwent echocardiographic evaluation of cardiac function. Cardiac dimensions and indices derived from echocardiograms were related to various measures of liver decompensation. Cirrhotics had a higher heart rate, left ventricular end-diastolic volume, left ventricular ejection fraction, and cardiac output and a lower mean blood pressure and peripheral resistance than aged-matched subjects. On multiple regression analyses mean blood pressure, peripheral resistance, and cardiac output were all found to be related to estimates of ascites. Also, cirrhotics with ascites had a lower peripheral resistance than those without this finding.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In clinically stable patients with cirrhosis, the presence of ascites indicates an intense vasodilatory state with a hyperdynamic circulation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Long Island College Hospital, Brooklyn 11201.
authors.forename: H S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Friedman
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fernando
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001201:Ascites / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002302:Cardiac Output / Q000502:physiology; D002310:Cardiomyopathy, Alcoholic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008104:Liver Cirrhosis, Alcoholic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014655:Vascular Resistance / Q000502:physiology; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000502:physiology