Cardiac sympathetic imaging with mIBG in cirrhosis and portal hypertension: relation to autonomic and cardiac function

TY - JOUR

T1 - Cardiac sympathetic imaging with mIBG in cirrhosis and portal hypertension

T2 - relation to autonomic and cardiac function

AU - Møller, Søren

AU - Mortensen, Christian

AU - Bendtsen, Flemming

AU - Jensen, Lars T

AU - Gøtze, Jens P

AU - Madsen, Jan L

PY - 2012/12/1

Y1 - 2012/12/1

N2 - Autonomic and cardiac dysfunction is frequent in cirrhosis and includes increased sympathetic nervous activity, impaired heart rate variability (HRV), and baroreflex sensitivity (BRS). Quantified 123I-metaiodobenzylguanidine (mIBG) scintigraphy reflects cardiac noradrenaline uptake, and in patients with cardiac failure it predicts outcome. In this study, we aimed to investigate cardiac sympathetic neuronal function in cirrhosis by mIBG scintigraphy in relation to cardiovascular function. Ten patients with alcoholic cirrhosis and 10 age- and sexmatched healthy controls participated in the study. Heart/mediastinum (H/M) ratios of mIBG uptake were calculated 15 and 230 min after intravenous injection of mIBG. Furthermore, washout rate (WOR) of mIBG was calculated. The patients underwent a liver vein catheterization with determination of splanchnic and systemic hemodynamics and measurement of HRV and BRS. mIBG-scintigraphy revealed significantly increased WOR in patients with cirrhosis compared with controls (P < 0.005), whereas H/M uptakes were equal in the groups. Forty percent of the patients had reduced uptake of mIBG in the infero-lateral segment of the left ventricle. WOR correlated significantly with central circulation time, an estimate of central hypovolemia (r=-0.64, P < 0.05) and frequency-corrected QTF interval (r = 0.71, P = 0.01). Patients with cirrhosis had significantly decreased HRV and BRS correlating with indicators of abnormal cathecholamine uptake by mIBG although the catecholamine level was normal in the patients. In conclusion, in alcoholic cirrhosis, mIBG scintigraphy reveals autonomic dysfunction and impaired myocardial distribution of sympathetic nervous activity. It is associated to indicators of central hypovolemia, QT interval, and decreased HRV and BRS. Measurement of myocardial catecholamine uptake by mIBG may add important information on autonomic and cardiac dysfunction in cirrhosis.

AB - Autonomic and cardiac dysfunction is frequent in cirrhosis and includes increased sympathetic nervous activity, impaired heart rate variability (HRV), and baroreflex sensitivity (BRS). Quantified 123I-metaiodobenzylguanidine (mIBG) scintigraphy reflects cardiac noradrenaline uptake, and in patients with cardiac failure it predicts outcome. In this study, we aimed to investigate cardiac sympathetic neuronal function in cirrhosis by mIBG scintigraphy in relation to cardiovascular function. Ten patients with alcoholic cirrhosis and 10 age- and sexmatched healthy controls participated in the study. Heart/mediastinum (H/M) ratios of mIBG uptake were calculated 15 and 230 min after intravenous injection of mIBG. Furthermore, washout rate (WOR) of mIBG was calculated. The patients underwent a liver vein catheterization with determination of splanchnic and systemic hemodynamics and measurement of HRV and BRS. mIBG-scintigraphy revealed significantly increased WOR in patients with cirrhosis compared with controls (P < 0.005), whereas H/M uptakes were equal in the groups. Forty percent of the patients had reduced uptake of mIBG in the infero-lateral segment of the left ventricle. WOR correlated significantly with central circulation time, an estimate of central hypovolemia (r=-0.64, P < 0.05) and frequency-corrected QTF interval (r = 0.71, P = 0.01). Patients with cirrhosis had significantly decreased HRV and BRS correlating with indicators of abnormal cathecholamine uptake by mIBG although the catecholamine level was normal in the patients. In conclusion, in alcoholic cirrhosis, mIBG scintigraphy reveals autonomic dysfunction and impaired myocardial distribution of sympathetic nervous activity. It is associated to indicators of central hypovolemia, QT interval, and decreased HRV and BRS. Measurement of myocardial catecholamine uptake by mIBG may add important information on autonomic and cardiac dysfunction in cirrhosis.

KW - 3-Iodobenzylguanidine

KW - Adult

KW - Aged

KW - Autonomic Nervous System

KW - Baroreflex

KW - Female

KW - Heart

KW - Heart Rate

KW - Hemodynamics

KW - Humans

KW - Hypertension, Portal

KW - Liver Cirrhosis, Alcoholic

KW - Male

KW - Mediastinum

KW - Middle Aged

KW - Sympathetic Nervous System

KW - Journal Article

KW - Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

U2 - 10.1152/ajpgi.00303.2012

DO - 10.1152/ajpgi.00303.2012

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 23019196

SN - 1522-1547

VL - 303

SP - G1228-35

JO - American Journal of Physiology - Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology

JF - American Journal of Physiology - Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology

IS - 11

ER -