Stephen Possick, Vandana Khungar, Ranjit Deshpande
{"title":"Cardiac evaluation of the liver transplant candidate.","authors":"Stephen Possick, Vandana Khungar, Ranjit Deshpande","doi":"10.1097/MOT.0000000000001122","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose of review: </strong>This review aims to summarize recent changes in the cardiac evaluation of adult liver transplant candidates. Over the last several years, there have been significant advances in the use of coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) with and without fractional flow reserve (FFR) and increasingly widespread availability of coronary calcium scoring for risk stratification for obstructive coronary artery disease. This has led to novel strategies for risk stratification in cirrhotic patients being considered for liver transplant and an updated American Heart Association (AHA) position paper on the evaluation of liver and kidney transplant candidates. The diagnosis of cirrhotic cardiomyopathy has been refined. These new diagnostic criteria require that specific echocardiographic parameters are evaluated in all patients. The definition of pulmonary hypertension on echocardiography has been altered and no longer utilizes right atrium (RA) pressure estimates based on inferior vena cava (IVC) size and collapse. This provides more volume neutral estimates of pulmonary pressure.</p><p><strong>Recent findings: </strong>Although CCTA has outstanding negative predictive value, false positive results are not uncommon and often lead to further testing. Revised diagnostic criteria for cirrhotic cardiomyopathy improve risk stratification for peri-operative volume overload and outcomes. Refined pulmonary hypertension criteria provide improved guidance for right heart catheterization (RHC) and referral to subspecialists. There are emerging data regarding the safety and efficacy of TAVR for severe aortic stenosis in cirrhotic patients.</p><p><strong>Summary: </strong>Increased utilization of noninvasive testing, including CCTA and/or coronary calcium scoring, can improve the negative predictive value of testing for obstructive coronary artery disease and potentially reduce reliance on coronary angiography. Application of the 2020 criteria for cirrhotic cardiomyopathy will improve systolic and diastolic function assessment and subsequent perioperative risk stratification. The use of global strain scores is emphasized, as it provides important information beyond ejection fraction and diastolic parameters. A standardized one-parameter echo cut-off for elevated pulmonary pressures simplifies both evaluation and follow-up. Innovative transcutaneous techniques for valvular stenosis and regurgitation offer new options for patients at prohibitive surgical risk.</p>","PeriodicalId":10900,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Organ Transplantation","volume":" ","pages":"299-304"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8000,"publicationDate":"2024-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Current Opinion in Organ Transplantation","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1097/MOT.0000000000001122","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"2023/11/23 0:00:00","PubModel":"Epub","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"TRANSPLANTATION","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Purpose of review: This review aims to summarize recent changes in the cardiac evaluation of adult liver transplant candidates. Over the last several years, there have been significant advances in the use of coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) with and without fractional flow reserve (FFR) and increasingly widespread availability of coronary calcium scoring for risk stratification for obstructive coronary artery disease. This has led to novel strategies for risk stratification in cirrhotic patients being considered for liver transplant and an updated American Heart Association (AHA) position paper on the evaluation of liver and kidney transplant candidates. The diagnosis of cirrhotic cardiomyopathy has been refined. These new diagnostic criteria require that specific echocardiographic parameters are evaluated in all patients. The definition of pulmonary hypertension on echocardiography has been altered and no longer utilizes right atrium (RA) pressure estimates based on inferior vena cava (IVC) size and collapse. This provides more volume neutral estimates of pulmonary pressure.
Recent findings: Although CCTA has outstanding negative predictive value, false positive results are not uncommon and often lead to further testing. Revised diagnostic criteria for cirrhotic cardiomyopathy improve risk stratification for peri-operative volume overload and outcomes. Refined pulmonary hypertension criteria provide improved guidance for right heart catheterization (RHC) and referral to subspecialists. There are emerging data regarding the safety and efficacy of TAVR for severe aortic stenosis in cirrhotic patients.
Summary: Increased utilization of noninvasive testing, including CCTA and/or coronary calcium scoring, can improve the negative predictive value of testing for obstructive coronary artery disease and potentially reduce reliance on coronary angiography. Application of the 2020 criteria for cirrhotic cardiomyopathy will improve systolic and diastolic function assessment and subsequent perioperative risk stratification. The use of global strain scores is emphasized, as it provides important information beyond ejection fraction and diastolic parameters. A standardized one-parameter echo cut-off for elevated pulmonary pressures simplifies both evaluation and follow-up. Innovative transcutaneous techniques for valvular stenosis and regurgitation offer new options for patients at prohibitive surgical risk.
期刊介绍:
Current Opinion in Organ Transplantation is an indispensable resource featuring key, up-to-date and important advances in the field from around the world. Led by renowned guest editors for each section, every bimonthly issue of Current Opinion in Organ Transplantation delivers a fresh insight into topics such as stem cell transplantation, immunosuppression, tolerance induction and organ preservation and procurement. With 18 sections in total, the journal provides a convenient and thorough review of the field and will be of interest to researchers, surgeons and other healthcare professionals alike.