Valvular Heart DiseaseRelation of Tricuspid Regurgitation to Liver Stiffness Measured by Transient Elastography in Patients With Left-Sided Cardiac Valve Disease

The aim of the study was to evaluate the relation between tricuspid regurgitation (TR) severity and liver stiffness (LS) in patients with TR. A total of 131 patients with various degrees of TR secondary to left-sided heart valve disease were enrolled. Severity of TR was quantitatively assessed by proximal isovelocity surface area-derived effective regurgitant orifice (ERO). Patients were divided into 2 groups: 48 with mild-moderate TR (ERO <0.4 cm2) and 83 with severe TR (ERO ≥0.4 cm2). Transient elastography was used to measure the level of LS, an established marker of liver fibrosis, with the threshold of significant LS set at ≥12.5 kPa. Patients with severe TR had a higher LS and prevalence of significant LS than those with mild-moderate TR. Furthermore, LS and significant LS independently correlated with TR-ERO, right atrial pressure and inferior vena cava (IVC) diameter. The presence of a large TR-ERO (≥0.4 cm2) and IVC diameter (>2.15 cm2) provided a high specificity of 78% for significant LS. In conclusion, the present study demonstrates that TR-ERO, right atrial pressure, and IVC diameter are important parameters associated with LS in patients with TR.