Analyses of left ventricular function using speckle tracking in patients with livercirrhosis evaluated for liver transplantation

Background: Cirrhotic cardiomyopathy is an abnormal heart function including systolic and diastolic dysfunction. This cardiomyopathy is mostly latent and gets clinical significant when patients are subjected to stress (e.g. inflammation, hemorrhage, surgery). This study analyses the role of speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) as prognostic marker for cirrhotic patients. Methods: 111 (39w, 72 m) patients with liver cirrhosis evaluated for liver transplantation were included. Clinical and laboratory data were collected retrospectively. Longitudinal 2D strains of left and right ventricle were analyzed in apical…