Abstract
Background and AimsPlasma levels of NT-pro-BNP, a natriuretic peptide precursor, are raised in the presence of fluid retention of cardiac origin and can be used as markers of cardiac dysfunction. Recent studies showed high levels of NT pro BNP in patients with cirrhosis. We assessed NT pro-BNP and other parameters of cardiac dysfunction in patients with cirrhosis, with or without ascites, in order to determine whether the behaviour of NT pro BNP is linked to the stage of liver disease or to secondary cardiac dysfunction.MethodsFifty eight consecutive hospitalized patients mostly with viral or NAFLD-related cirrhosis were studied. All underwent abdominal ultrasound and upper GI endoscopy. Cardiac morpho-functional changes were evaluated by echocardiography and NT-pro-BNP plasma levels determined upon admission. Twenty-eight hypertensive patients, without evidence of liver disease served as controls.ResultsFifty eight cirrhotic patients (72% men) with a median age of 62 years (11% with mild arterial hypertension and 31% with type 2 diabetes) had a normal renal function (mean creatinine 0.9 mg/dl, range 0.7–1.06). As compared to controls, cirrhotic patients had higher NT pro-BNP plasma levels (365.2±365.2 vs 70.8±70.6 pg/ml; p<0.001). Left atrial volume (LAV) (61.8±26.3 vs 43.5±14.1 ml; p = 0.001), and left ventricular ejection fraction (62.7±6.9 vs. 65.5±4%,; p = 0.05) were also altered in cirrhotic patients that in controls. Patients with F2-F3 oesophageal varices as compared to F0/F1, showed higher e' velocity (0.91±0.23 vs 0.66±0.19 m/s, p<0.001), and accordingly a higher E/A ratio (1.21±0.46 vs 0.89±0.33 m/s., p = 0.006).ConclusionNT-pro-BNP plasma levels are increased proportionally to the stage of chronic liver disease. Advanced cirrhosis and high NT-pro-BNP levels are significantly associated to increased LAV and to signs of cardiac diastolic dysfunction. NT pro-BNP levels could hence be an useful prognostic indicators of early decompensation of cirrhosis.
Highlights
The foremost hemodynamic feature of cirrhosis is the hyperdynamic syndrome, a circulatory state characterized by low arterial pressure, high cardiac output and decreased peripheral vascular resistance [1,2,3]
As they seem to be relate to the severity of liver disease and cardiac dysfunction they should be useful markers to identify cirrhotic patients with increased cardiovascular risk and worse prognosis
In this study we aimed to assess in a well-characterized cohort of patients with cirrhosis of non-alcoholic aetiology, before or after the development of ascites, the expression of NT pro-BNP and of other parameters of cardiac dysfunction in order to determine whether the behaviour of NT pro BNP is linked to the stage of liver disease or to a cardiac dysfunction secondary to cirrhosis
Summary
The foremost hemodynamic feature of cirrhosis is the hyperdynamic syndrome, a circulatory state characterized by low arterial pressure, high cardiac output and decreased peripheral vascular resistance [1,2,3]. As a consequence of this hemodynamic profile, a broad spectrum of cardiac abnormalities, such as impaired myocardial contractility, impaired diastolic relaxation and electrophysiological abnormalities in the absence of any other evident heart disease may be found in patients with cirrhosis [1,4,5,6]. Recent studies revealed that high serum levels of NT pro-BNP are present in patients with chronic liver diseases of viral etiology [13,14,15,16]. We assessed NT pro-BNP and other parameters of cardiac dysfunction in patients with cirrhosis, with or without ascites, in order to determine whether the behaviour of NT pro BNP is linked to the stage of liver disease or to secondary cardiac dysfunction
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