Fluid retention in patients with decompensated hepatic cirrhosis is accompanied
by oedema, ascites and hydrothorat Actually it has not been
properly studied in Egypt. whether pericardial effusion or left ventricular
dysfunction occurs in our patients with such disease or not. This work
was particularly dedicated to detect the prevalence of pericardial effusion
and to detect the presence of left ventricular dysfunction in patients with
decompenSated hepatic cirrhosis using non invasive technique that is echocardiography.
This work was conducted on 30 cases of hepatic cirrhosis,
classified according to Child's classification into 3 grades, grade A110 patients
with compensated hepatic cirrhosis], grade B 110 patients with decompensated
hepatic cirrhosis] arid grade C110 patients with decompensated
hepatic cirrhosis]. The study included 10 normal controls. We found
an incidence of mild to moderate echocardiographically detected pericardial
effusion on 3 of 10 patients (30%) of grade B hepatic cirrhosis and, in
4 of 10 patients (40%) of grade C hepatic cirrhosis, so the incidence of pericardial
effusion in patients with decompensated hepatic cirrhosis in our
study was 7 of 20 patients (3596). None of the patients of grade A hepatic
cirrhosis or normal controls had pericardial effusion. This difference in
prevalence of pericardial effusion in patients with decompensated hepatic
cirrhosis compared to controls proved to be statistically significant.
Actually no echocardiographic. laboratory or abdominal sonpgraphic
variables could be correlated with the incidence of pericardial effusion except
a statistically significant correlation to serum albumin level. As regard
to left ventricular functionwefound increased internal diameters of
the left ventricle for the patients of the three grades of hepatic cirrhosis.
This difference in internal diameters of left ventricle in patients with hepatic
cirrhosis compared to controls proved to be statistically significant.
In conclusion, pericardial effusion is common in patients with decompensated
hepatic cirrhosis and is not accompanied by left ventricular dysfunction. |
