Electrocardiographic abnormalities in patients with chronic liver disease: suggestions for cirrhotic cardiomyopathy

Abstract

Abstract Background: Cardiac dysrhythmia is a silent complication of chronic liver disease (CLD), notably liver cirrhosis, which is rarely sought for. However, its presence could indicate the development of cirrhotic cardiomyopathy, and in conditions of stress such as infections, it could contribute to mortality. Objective: We aimed to evaluate the electrocardiographic abnormalities in patients with CLD. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study carried out at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar, over a 12-month period, which recruited 80 patients who had CLD and 80 age-/gender-matched apparently normal controls. All patients were interviewed, examined, and underwent resting electrocardiography. The data were analyzed using IBM SPSS version 20.0. Results: A total of 160 patients were recruited, out of which 73.8% were males, while 26.2% were females. The mean age of patients with CLD was 42.0 ± 12.6 years. Prolongation of the QTc interval was the most prevalent ECG abnormality, with a prevalence of 36%. The prevalence of disturbances in heart rate and conduction abnormalities was not significantly different between the CLD and control groups. Conclusion: Prolonged QT interval is prevalent in patients with CLD compared to apparently healthy controls.