A Comprehensive Analysis of Cirrhotic Cardiomyopathy Among Patients with Liver Cirrhosis at Tertiary Care Hospital, Karachi

Abstract

Objective: To determine the prevalence and complications of cirrhotic cardiomyopathy (CCM) in liver cirrhosis patients at a tertiary care hospital in Karachi, and to analyze associated factors contributing to disease progression.

Methodology: This descriptive study was conducted at the Department of Medicine, Civil Hospital Karachi, from October 2020 to April 2021. A total of 95 patients diagnosed with liver cirrhosis were included. Data was collected using a structured format and analyzed using SPSS. Stratification was applied to assess the relationship between cirrhotic cardiomyopathy and key factors such as age, gender, and duration of cirrhosis. The study used echocardiography to evaluate cardiac function, and pro-BNP levels were measured to assess the severity of cardiomyopathy.

Results: The mean age of the patients was 43.66±4.87 years, with a mean heart rate of 73.51±12.41 beats/min, pro-BNP levels of 78.63±7.37 pg/ml, and mean cirrhosis duration of 1.65±0.99 years. Of the 95 patients, 15 (15.8%) had cirrhotic cardiomyopathy, while 80 (84.2%) did not. Gender distribution showed 48 (50.5%) males and 47 (49.5%) females. Cirrhotic cardiomyopathy was more common in patients with longer disease duration and higher Child-Pugh scores, but the differences were not statistically significant.

Conclusion: Cirrhotic cardiomyopathy is a prevalent but often underdiagnosed complication in liver cirrhosis patients, with significant implications for disease management. Early diagnosis and monitoring are crucial to preventing adverse cardiovascular outcomes in cirrhosis patients.