title: Impact of the severity of end-stage liver disease in cardiac structure and function.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The impact of end-stage liver disease (ESLD) in cardiac remodeling of patients with cirrhosis is unknown. Our aim was to correlate the severity of ESLD with morphologic and functional heart changes.
  
  
  METHODS
  184 patients underwent a protocol providing data on the severity of ESLD and undergoing echocardiography to assess the diameters of the left atrium and right ventricle; the systolic and diastolic diameters of the left ventricle, interventricular septum, and posterior wall of the left ventricle; systolic pulmonary artery pressure; ejection fraction; and diastolic function. Severity of ESLD was assessed by the Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Left-atrial diameter (r = 0.323; IC 95% 0.190-0.455; p < 0.001), left-ventricular diastolic diameter (r = 0.177; IC 95% 0.033-0.320; p = 0.01) and systolic pulmonary artery pressure (r = 0.185; IC 95% 0.036-0.335; p = 0.02) significantly correlated with MELD score. Patients with MELD ≥ 16 had significantly higher left-atrial diameter and systolic pulmonary artery pressure, compared with patients with MELD scores < 16 points.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Changes in cardiac structure and function correlate with the severity of ESLD.
authors.affiliation: Heart Institute, University of Sao Paulo School of Medicine, Brazil.
authors.forename: Odilson Marcos
authors.initials: OM
authors.lastname: Silvestre
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bacal
authors.forename: Danusa
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: de Souza Ramos
authors.forename: Jose L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Andrade
authors.forename: Meive
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Furtado
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pugliese
authors.forename: Elisangela
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Belleti
authors.forename: Wellington
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Andraus
authors.forename: Flair José
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Carrilho
authors.forename: Luiz Augusto
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Carneiro D'Albuquerque
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Queiroz Farias
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D009202:Cardiomyopathies / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D002311:Cardiomyopathy, Dilated / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004452:Echocardiography; D004562:Electrocardiography; D058625:End Stage Liver Disease / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D065627:Familial Primary Pulmonary Hypertension; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D020257:Ventricular Remodeling