title: Increased liver stiffness values in patients with heart failure.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Liver stiffness has been claimed to be increased in patients with heart failure.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the magnitude of this increase in liver stiffness, and to clarify whether it is related to the degree of heart failure or not.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-six patients were prospectively collected, and divided in groups CHF (those with compensated chronic heart failure) and AHF (those with acute decompensated heart failure). Patients underwent routine blood chemistries, pro-BNP determination, echocardiography and transient elastography during outpatient care (group CHF) or at hospital admission (group AHF). Blood chemistries, pro-BNP and transient elastography were repeated in patients in group AHF before being discharged.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Correlation between liver stiffness and pro-BNP levels was statistically significant (Rho = 0.747, p = 0.001). Patients in group CHF had lower values of liver stiffness and pro-BNP when compared with patients in group AHF at admission. Median liver stiffness and pro-BNP values were 6.5 vs 14.4 kPa (p = 0.009) and 1511 vs 3535 pg/ml (p = 0.025) respectively. After clinical compensation, liver stiffness decreased in all patients in group AHF. Liver stiffness was 14.4 kPa at admission and 8.2 kPa at discharge (p = 0.008). Pro-BNP values also decreased from a median of 3535 pg/ml to a median of 1098 pg/ml (p = 0.025).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with heart failure have increased liver stiffness, that appears to be related with the severity of heart failure.
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Hepatología. Departamento de Medicina Interna. Clinica Universidad de Navarra, Navarra, Spain. falegre@unav.es
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Alegre
authors.forename: J I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Herrero
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Iñarrairaegui
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Gavira
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pujol
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Montero
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: D'Avola
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Prieto
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sangro
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Quiroga
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004452:Echocardiography; D004548:Elasticity; D054459:Elasticity Imaging Techniques / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000097:blood; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D010446:Peptide Fragments; C109794:pro-brain natriuretic peptide (1-76); D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain