Left-sided heart failure presenting as hepatitis

Abstract

Overt liver disease caused by left-sided heart failure is seldom recognized unless there is obvious hypotension. We now report 4 patients whose initial diagnosis was hepatitis but who were later shown to have central hepatic necrosis associated with left ventricular failure. Signs of right-sided heart failure were absent. Hepatitis was initially suspected in 3 patients because of striking transaminase elevations and in 1 patient because of jaundice and symptoms compatible with hepatitis. Liver biopsies performed on all patients revealed central hepatic necrosis without evidence of acute or chronic hepatitis. Left ventricular failure was documented in all 4 patients. One patient had coronary artery disease, and the other three patients had valvular heart disease. Liver function tests became normal or improved in all cases as the underlying heart disease was treated. We believe that liver dysfunction secondary to left ventricular failure is not uncommon and can be seen in the absence of right-sided heart failure or hypotension.