Echocardiographic abnormalities in cirrhosis & their correlation with severity of cirrhosis using Child-Pugh score among patients in a tertiary care hospital

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: Child-Pugh score (CPS) is a widely used prognostic marker in cases of cirrhosis and pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). However, the role of this score in the quantification of severity of PAH is not well studied. In mild cases, echocardiography is more sensitive. This study was done to assess the association between echocardiography and severity of cirrhosis using CPS. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was done from April to June 2014 in 42 patients with cirrhosis using a pre-tested semi-structured interview schedule. RESULTS: There was no significant association between echocardiographic changes and CPS in patients with liver cirrhosis. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSIONS: Advising an echocardiographic evaluation may prove beneficial in patients of Child-Pugh Grades B and C. However, more extensive studies are required to confirm the same.