Metoprolol Succinate in Cardiac Remodeling Related to Cirrhosis

Cirrhotic cardiomyopathy (CMC) is defined as a chronic cardiac dysfunction in patients with cirrhosis. Moreover, it is characterized by an abnormal and blunted response to pathological or pharmacological stress in the absence of any other associated cardiac disease. The diagnostic criteria are: baseline increased cardiac output, attenuated myocardial contractile response to stress, diastolic dysfunction, and electrophysiological repolarization abnormalities. It is suspected that cardiac dysfunction in cirrhosis contribute to the onset of complications in liver disease. We will investigate the effect of metoprolol succinate in the reversal of cardiac dysfunction and prevention of complications of cirrhosis in patients with cirrhotic cardiomyopathy. Furthermore, we want to study the influence of presence of CMC in the evolution of cirrhotic patients. The study will be prospective, randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled. The sample consists of 125 patients aged between 18 and 60 years old diagnosed with severe liver cirrhosis (Child B or C or MELD score above 10) with cirrhotic cardiomyopathy or not. Of these, 100 patients with cirrhotic cardiomyopathy will be randomized into two groups: group R1 (metoprolol succinate) and group R2 (placebo). Group F will consist of cirrhotic patients without cardiomyopathy and will not receive medication. Patients will be evaluated by clinical examination, resting electrocardiogram, 24-hour Holter, stress echocardiography and laboratory (brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), catecholamines, plasma renin activity, and troponin) at inclusion and after six months. The end points are: 1) Reversal of cardiac dysfunction in patients with cirrhotic cardiomyopathy, 2) Development of hepatorenal syndrome, 3) Reversal of the electrophysiologic abnormalities, 4)Changes in laboratory tests, and 5) Mortality.