title: The role of autonomic dysfunction in cirrhotic patients before and after liver transplantation. Review of the literature.
abstract: In patients affected by hepatic cirrhosis, autonomic dysfunction is a common finding; usually it is asymptomatic but it may correlate with increased mortality and morbidity before, during and after liver transplant, due to hemodynamic instability in the course of stressful events like sepsis, gastrointestinal bleeding and reperfusion after transplantation surgery. Hyperdynamic circulation and hepatic dysfunction seem to play a role in the pathogenesis of autonomic dysfunction, even if pathophysiological mechanisms are not completely known. We present a revision of previous literature about prevalence, pathophysiological mechanisms, clinical features, and mortality and morbidity of autonomic dysfunction secondary to hepatic cirrhosis.
authors.affiliation: Autonomic Unit and Hypertension Unit, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Di Stefano
authors.affiliation: Autonomic Unit and Hypertension Unit, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Valeria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Milazzo
authors.affiliation: Autonomic Unit and Hypertension Unit, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Milan
authors.affiliation: Autonomic Unit and Hypertension Unit, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Veglio
authors.affiliation: Autonomic Unit and Hypertension Unit, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Maule
mesh_terms: D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001342:Autonomic Nervous System Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery*; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D015424:Reperfusion; D018805:Sepsis
keywords: autonomic dysfunction; cirrhosis; liver transplantation