Author(s)

Rody Stéphane Ngami^1,2*, Philestine Clausina Mikolele Ahoui Apendi², Relda Itoko Okombi¹, Christian Kouala Landa^2,3, Marlyse Ngalessami Mouakosso¹, Bénédicte Ahombo Niotsombe¹, Ngala Akoa Itoua-Ngaporo^1,2, Pérès Mardochée Motoula Latou^1,2, Jile Florient Mimiesse Monamou^1,2, Arnaud Mongo-Onkouo^1,2, Deby Gassaye^1,2, Blaise Irénée Atipo Ibara^1,2

¹Department of Gastroenterology and Internal Medicine, University Teaching Hospital, Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo.
²Faculty of Health Sciences, Marien Ngouabi University, Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo.
³Department of Cardiology and Internal Medicine, University Teaching Hospital, Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo.

Cirrhosis is a liver disease that can lead to cardiovascular lesions that are often asymptomatic but potentially fatal. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate electrical and echographic cardiovascular abnormalities during cirrhosis at the Brazzaville University Hospital. Patients and Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional analytical study over a 2-year period at the Brazzaville Universitary Hospital. Cirrhotic patients at least 18 years of age who had undergone electrocardiogram and echocardiography were included. Patients with cardiac cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma or spontaneous bacterial peritonitis were excluded. The outcome variables were cardiac electrical and echographic abnormalities. Data were analyzed using Epi info 7.2 software. Pearson’s chi-square, Fisher’s exact and Student’s exact tests were used to compare proportions and means at a significance level of 0.05. Results: A total of 76 cirrhotic patients were recruited out of 186 patients, i.e. 40.9% of cirrhotic patients. There were 48 men and 28 women, for a sex ratio of 1.7. The median age was 56 (IQR 41.5 - 69.0). QTc prolongation, microvoltage and sinus tachycardia were the most frequent electrical disorders, respectively in 19 (29.7%), 11 (17.2%) and 11 (17.2%) cases. Electrical disorders were statistically related to cirrhosis stage (p = 0.0364). The most frequent ultrasound disorders were left ventricular systolic failure 11 (28.9%) and dilated cardiomyopathy 8 (21.1%). Seven (9.2%) patients had high pulmonary arterial pressure. Death, observed in 12 cases (15.8%), was statistically linked to the presence of echocardiographic disorders (p = 0.0089) and congestive heart failure (p = 0.0001). Conclusion: The search for cardiac disorders should be systematic during decompensated cirrhosis to detect potentially fatal abnormalities.

Cirrhosis, ECG, Echocardiography, Cardiovascular Disorders

Ngami, R. , Mikolele Ahoui Apendi, P. , Itoko Okombi, R. , Kouala Landa, C. , Mouakosso, M. , Ahombo Niotsombe, B. , Itoua-Ngaporo, N. , Motoula Latou, P. , Monamou, J. , Mongo-Onkouo, A. , Gassaye, D. and Atipo Ibara, B. (2023) Cardiovascular Disorders in Cirrhosis at the Brazzaville Teaching Hospital in 2022. Open Journal of Gastroenterology, 13, 369-376. doi: 10.4236/ojgas.2023.1311034.