Liver involvement in presence of heart disease and heart involvement in presence of liver disease: a conundrum

Data from literature show a cross-talk between the heart and liver during diseases which primarily involve one of the two organs, but data regarding this relationship are scant. Aim of this study was to investigate this relationship. In this narrative review we critically explored the most recent literature on this topic using PubMed and Medline and examining the most recent studies about liver involvement in heart failure and heart involvement in course of liver disease. Patients with acute and chronic heart failure and those who undergo heart transplatation (HT) manifest various signs of liver damage with a rate of incidence which is higher in candidates for left ventricular assist device. In presence of cardiogenic shock a very marked hepatocellular necrosis may occur while in the setting of chronic heart failure congestive hepatopathy and-or the so-called cardiac cirrhosis are observed. On the other side in presence of chronic liver disease and in case of liver transplantation (LT) heart functions may be altered and cirrhotic cardiomyopathy, which is a syndrome characterized by systolic, diastolic and electrophysiological abnormalities may occur. In this review we have analyzed the relationship between heart and liver disease, even in case of LT and HT. Furthermore we have underscored the effects of chronic alcoholism and of systemic disorders such as hemochromatosis and amyloidosis on both heart and liver.