Role of coronary artery calcium score in identifying occult coronary artery disease in patients evaluated for deceased-donor liver transplant - a preliminary report.

Coronary artery disease may affect cirrhotic patients regardless of age and etiology of the underlying liver disease. Early identification of coronary artery disease is important to be able to achieve the best posttransplant outcomes and survival. The coronary artery calcium score can be used as a screening tool to supplement the results of cardiac stress tests to identify a subgroup of patients who may benefit from further investigation with coronary arteriogram. Arteriogram is an invasive test and may cause renal compromise and risk of bleeding associated with coagulopathy. The present retrospective study showed that coronary artery calcium score > 250 Agatston units may help select the subgroup of patients who will benefit from further investigation with cardiac catheterization, and determining this score may limit the risks of catheterization.