Left ventricular volumes in liver cirrhosis

Background, Patients with alcoholic cirrhosis have left ventricular dimensi ons similar to controls. Few data have been reported in patients with cirrh osis of viral origin. Aim, To assess left ventricular dimensions in patients with pure viral cirr hosis. Patients and methods, Thirty patients with virus-related cirrhosis, 23 pati ents with alcoholic cirrhosis and IP healthy controls were submitted to mea surement of left ventricular volumes, cardiac output, mean arterial pressur e and total peripheral resistance. Results, Patients with cirrhosis showed a similar increase in cardiac index and heart rate and reduction of mean arterial pressure and peripheral vasc ular resistance in comparison to controls, irrespective of the aetiology. L eft ventricular end systolic volume index was lower (p<0.01) and ejection f raction higher (p<0.01) in virus-related cirrhotic patients (mean +/- SD, r espectively 12.4+/-4.1 ml/sqm and 77.9%) in comparison both to controls (21 .5+/-6.3 ml/sqm and 66.8%) and alcoholics (20.6+/-7.0 ml/sqm and 68.8). End diastolic Volume index was not significantly different between the three g roups. Conclusions, Our findings indicate smaller left ventricular volumes and hig her ejection fraction in pure virus-related cirrhosis than in alcoholic cir rhosis and controls. Since peripheral haemodynamics proved similar in virus - and alcohol-related cirrhosis, a subclinical alcohol cardiomyopathy may b e hypothesised to account for the absence of such left ventricular pattern in alcoholic patients.