Abnormal left ventricular mass as a prognostic marker for outcomes in infants and children with cirrhosis.

Elevated left ventricular mass index (LVMI) predicts morbidity and mortality in children with cirrhosis, with specific thresholds independently associated with adverse outcomes.

• Why it matters: Cirrhotic cardiomyopathy in children is underdefined and underrecognized, limiting effective risk stratification and management in pediatric cirrhosis patients awaiting liver transplantation.
• What they did: The study compared 2DE, morphometry, and histopathology between children with and without cirrhosis (n=226 vs. 160) and assessed LVMI's ability to predict adverse events using ROC analysis, identifying thresholds linked to outcomes.
• The result: LVMI values ≥88 g/m2.7, ≥91 g/m2.7, and ≥95 g/m2.7 were independently associated with waitlist decompensation, serious adverse events, and mortality, and combining LVMI with PELD-Cr/MELD improved prediction of adverse events.