LIVER FUNCTION IN CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE

Abstract

In a series of 231 patients with congestive heart failure 2.1% frequency of clinical jaundice was observed. Jaundice in congestive heart failure may be of either the obstructive or non-obstructive type. The results of this study show that 15 of the 16 patients (93%) had some alteration in liver function. No characteristic type of liver dysfunction in chronic passive congestion was found. Three subjects showed only 1 abnormal response to liver function tests. Only 1 subject showed all 4 tests abnormal. No parallelism between degree of heart failure and impairment of liver function could be noted in individual cases. Patients die showing little alteration in liver function. Patients improve showing marked functional liver impairment. Patients with marked congestive failure may show no liver dysfunction. As a group there is, perhaps, a parallel between the changes in liver function and the degree of edema and size of the liver. Any liver dysfunction induced by an attack of chronic passive congestion is apparently not permanent. Liver dysfunction still in evidence after recovery from an attack of chronic passive congestion probably indicates an independent liver impairment.