Background: Limited published data suggested that patients with end-stage liver disease (ESLD) might have "cirrhotic cardiomyopathy," which could have an earlier stage manifested by mechanical dyssynchrony before left ventricular (LV) dysfunction.
Methods and results: We studied consecutive patients with ESLD who had a stress-gated Tc-99m sestamibi myocardial perfusion imaging between 2008 and 2010 prior to liver transplant. Patients with LVEF < 50%, abnormal perfusion, or QRS ≥ 120 ms were excluded. Baseline demographics, co-morbidities, model for ESLD (MELD) score, LV volumes, mass, ejection fraction (EF), and dyssynchrony indices (standard deviation and bandwidth) were extracted. The phase indices were compared to a normal cohort. There were 179 patients with a mean age 53 ± 8 years, LVEF 72 ± 10%. Hepatitis C, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, and alcohol abuse were the most common cause of liver cirrhosis (40%, 18%, and 14%, respectively). Patients with ESLD had similar standard deviation (14 ± 8° vs 15 ± 6°, P = NS) and bandwidth (41 ± 25° vs 42 ± 14°, P = NS) to the normal cohort. Only four patients (2%) had a standard deviation >27° (mean + 2 SD of the control group). The phase standard deviations and bandwidth similar in patients with MELD scores of ≤10, 11-18, 19-24, and ≥25 (P = NS for both). There was no correlation between the MELD score and standard deviation or bandwidth (r = -0.044 and -0.068, respectively, P = NS for both). Also, there was no correlation between the QTc and dyssynchrony indices. After 1-year follow-up, 22 patients died (12%). The dyssynchrony indices were similar among those who died and those who survived.
Conclusion: Patients with ESLD and normal EF have no evidence for LV dyssynchrony.