12 August 2025 : Original article
Early Atropine Protocol Enhances Dobutamine Stress Echocardiography in End-Stage Liver Disease: A Practical Cardiac Risk Stratification Tool Before Liver Transplantation
Özge Çetinarslan ABCDEF 1*, Sinan Efe Yazıcı ABC 2, Ahmet Atasever
ABC 2
DOI: 10.12659/AOT.950166
Ann Transplant 2025; 30:e950166
Table 2 Comparison of outcomes across study groups.
| Parameters | Group 1 | Group 2 | Group 3 | P value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Max-LVOT gradient (mmHg)(mean±SD) | 31.33±53.34 | 34.50±36.01 | 24.43±12.11 | 0.665 |
| Achieved HR (%)(mean±SD) (95% CI) | 83±2.9%(64.1–93.3%) | 85±4.2%(66.7–95.3%) | 95±4.6%(79.0–99.2%) | <0.001 |
| Procedure time (minute)(mean±SD) (95% CI) | 19.08±1.44(18.5–19.7) | 27.82±2.06(26.9–28.7) | 18.48±0.95(18.1–18.9) | <0.001 |
| Hypotension (n-%)(95% CI) | 23 (12.5%)(4.3–31.0%) | 11 (50.0%)(30.7–69.3%) | 2 (8.7%)(2.4–26.8%) | 0.001 |
| VES (n-%)(95% CI) | 7 (29.2%)(14.9–49.2%) | 13 (59.1%)(38.7–76.7%) | 3 (13.0%)(4.5–32.1%) | 0.004 |
| Angina (n-%)(95% CI) | 4 (16.7%)(6.7–35.9%) | 0 (0.0%)(0–14.3%) | 0 (0.0%)(0–14.3%) | 0.019 |
| Dyspnea (n-%)(95% CI) | 1 (4.2%)(0.7–20.2%) | 4 (18.2%)(7.3–38.5%) | 0 (0.0%)(0–14.3%) | 0.049 |
| Palpitation (n-%)(95% CI) | 16 (66.7%)(46.7–82.0%) | 17 (77.3%)(56.6–89.9%) | 8 (34.8%)(18.8–55.1%) | 0.010 |
| Nausea (n-%)(95% CI) | 2 (8.3%)(2.3–25.8%) | 17 (77.3%)(56.6–89.9%) | 0 (0.0%)(0–14.3%) | <0.001 |
| Group 1: dobutamine only; Group 2: 40 μg/kg/min dobutamine+atropine; Group 3: 30 μg/kg/min dobutamine+atropine. Max-LVOT – maximum left ventricular outflow tract; Achieved HR – percentage of maximum HR; VES – ventricular extrasystole. | ||||