OBJECTIVE: Patients with cirrhosis have cardiovascular dysfunction and altered mechanical properties of large and small arteries. This study was undertaken in order to analyze the arterial pressure curve in relation to mean arterial pressure level, stroke volume, and severity of liver disease.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-one patients with cirrhosis (Child-Turcotte classes A/B/C = 13/15/13) were studied during a hemodynamic investigation of portal hypertension. Fifteen patients without liver disease served as controls. We applied fast Fourier analysis to quantify the pressure components of the arterial curve, the harmonic Fourier coefficients (HFC).

RESULTS: Mean arterial pressure was significantly reduced (91 vs. 98 mmHg, p < 0.001) and stroke volume was significantly increased (94 vs. 78 ml, p < 0.001) in patients with cirrhosis versus controls. The HFC were significantly lower in patients with cirrhosis than in controls (-15 to -24%, p < 0.002), except for the fourth HFC, which was significantly increased (+28%, p < 0.02). In contrast to controls, which showed a highly significant effect of the level of arterial pressure on their HFC (p < 0.001), patients with cirrhosis did not show pressure or stroke volume dependence on their HFC, indicating an overall compliant and slow reflective arterial vascular bed. The initial rise in pulse pressure (dP/dt) was inversely related to the Child-Turcotte score (p < 0.05), and the HFC were borderline significantly related to this score (p = 0.07).

CONCLUSIONS: The arterial pulsation in cirrhosis is qualitatively changed with reduced pulse reflections, which may protect against manifest cardiac failure in patients with advanced cirrhosis.