DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2019.v07i04.027

Pages: 1506-1511

Background: Cardiac dysfunction in cirrhotic patients is well evident. Severity of cirrhosis is measured by Child Pugh Score (CPS). A low-voltage ECG is an important tool to evaluate the cardiac dysfunction. Aims and Objectives: To study the electrocardiographic findings and correlate it with modified CPS in patients of alcoholic chronic liver disease. Materials and Methods: Hundred subjects were studied after dividing them in to Cases (n=50, patients of chronic liver disease, the etiology of which is excessive long term alcohol intake) and Control (n=50, patients of chronic liver disease, the etiology of which will be non-alcoholic) in the Department of Medicine, J A Group of Hospitals, G.R. Medical College Gwalior (M.P.) from Nov 2016 to Aug 2018. Details of symptomatology, hemogram, liver function test, renal function test, lipid profile, blood sugar, blood albumin were estimated. All the subjects underwent ECG assessment after dividing them as per modified CPS. Results: Chronic liver disease was more prevalent among the age group of 31-50 years. Majority of the patients with swelling of legs, jaundice, abdominal pain, fever, altered sensorium, constitutional symptoms, hematemesis /malena and abdominal distension had Child PUGH Score of C. Majority of patients with icterus, ascites, oedema, clubbing, splenomegaly, asterixis, parotid enlargement, spider naïve, fetor hepaticus and loss of body hair had CPS of C. Majority of the patients with QT prolongation (p=0.024), chamber enlargement (p=0.025) and conduction defects (p=0.046) had CPS of C as compared to control groups. Patients with arrhythmias, ST-T changes, sinus bradycardia, sinus tachycardia and low voltage complex were equally distributed between all CPS class (p>0.05). Conclusion: Electrocardiographic changes in a form of QTc prolongation, chamber enlargement and conduction defects were significantly associated with CPS of C hence making an important tool in identifying the severity of liver cirrhosis.