Prevalence of minimal hepatic encephalopathy and quality of life evaluations in hospitalized cirrhotic patients in China

The role of multifocal visual evoked potential in detection of minimal hepatic encephalopathy in patients with compensated liver cirrhosis

BACKGROUND

Minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) is one of the most debilitating complications of hepatic cirrhosis, and visual electrophysiology, visual evoked potential (VEP) has long been used for MHE diagnosis. This technique only produces a summed response that is greatly dominated by the macular region. Multifocal visual evoked potential (mfVEP) imaging minimizes these limitations because it allows topographic recording of the optic nerve and visual cortex. The aim of this study was to detect minimal hepatic encephalopathy among cirrhotic patients using the mfVEP in comparison to the validated psychometric hepatic encephalopathy score (PHES), paired associative learning (PAL) and the Benton visual retention test (BVRT).

METHODS

Forty-five patients with compensated hepatic cirrhosis were enrolled in our study and compared to 45 normal controls who were matched for age, sex and educational level. Both groups underwent psychological tests (PHES, PAL, BVRT) and neurophysiological tests (mfVEP).

RESULTS

1According to the validated PHES, 14 patients were found to have MHE, 15 patients were found to have abnormal mfVEP, and abnormalities in the BVRT and PAL were found in 11 and 10 patients, respectively. 2-mfVEP showed the highest sensitivity in the detection of MHE in reference to the PHES. 3- The mfVEP test and potentially the BVRT have the advantage of detecting subtle abnormalities in non-MHE cirrhotic patients, for further research and follow-up are needed.

CONCLUSION

mfVEP demonstates promising results for objective early detection of MHE, with a sensitivity of approximately 92.9%.

External validation of EncephalApp Stroop test to screen minimal hepatic encephalopathy patients with nonalcoholic cirrhosis

BACKGROUND

Neurocognitive impairment, including minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) and overt hepatic encephalopathy, is one of the most common complications of all types of primary liver diseases, such as hepatitis B, biliary cholangitis, and autoimmune hepatitis. The EncephalApp Stroop test is a smartphone application-based test that is time-saving for MHE screening. However, neurocognitive impairment is different between alcoholic cirrhosis patients and nonalcoholic cirrhosis patients, so the cutoff value for MHE diagnosis might be inflated.

AIM

To validate the Stroop test in nonalcoholic cirrhosis patients.

METHODS

This external validation was performed at the National Center for Infectious Diseases (Beijing). Liver cirrhosis patients aged between 18 and 65 years who voluntarily enrolled in the study and provided signed informed consent were included. The Psychometric Hepatic Encephalopathy Score (PHES) test was used as the standard diagnostic criterion for MHE. The EncephalApp Stroop test was then performed on the iPad, including two sessions of tests (“off” and “on”) to measure patients’ ability to differentiate between numbers and letters. We assessed the performance of the EncephalApp Stroop test in terms of the area under the curve (AUC), sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value, with the PHES as the standard criterion.

RESULTS

A total of 160 nonalcoholic cirrhosis patients were included in this validation study, including 87 (54.4%) patients without MHE and 73 (45.6%) patients with MHE. Taking the PHES as the gold standard, the EncephalApp Stroop test performed well for nonalcoholic liver cirrhosis patients in terms of “off” time [AUC: 0.85, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.79-0.91] and “on + off” time (AUC: 0.85, 95%CI: 0.80-0.91); however, total runs of “off” session (AUC: 0.61, 95%CI: 0.52-0.69), total runs of “on” session (AUC: 0.57, 95%CI: 0.48-0.65), and “on – off” time (AUC: 0.54, 95%CI: 0.44-0.63) were comparatively low. The optimal cutoff points were “off” time > 101.93 seconds and “on + off” time > 205.86 seconds, with sensitivities of 0.84 and 0.90, specificities of 0.77 and 0.71, positive predictive values of 0.75 and 0.72, and false-positive values of 0.85 and 0.89, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest that different cutoffs should be used for the EncephalApp Stroop tool for MHE screening between alcoholic and nonalcoholic living patients, which is a critical check before generalization to screen for neurocognitive impairment among the whole population of chronic liver diseases.

Social Impact of Hepatic Encephalopathy

Hepatic encephalopathy is a medical condition that stems from liver dysfunction, leading to the accumulation of toxins in the bloodstream. This can result in cognitive impairments, mood changes, and motor dysfunction. Its social impact includes challenges in employment, relationships, and daily functioning for affected individuals. Stigma and misunderstanding around the condition can further exacerbate the difficulties faced by both patients and their caregivers. Efforts to raise awareness, improve medical management, and provide support systems can help mitigate the social impact of hepatic encephalopathy.

Altered brain iron deposition in patients with minimal hepatic encephalopathy: an MRI quantitative susceptibility mapping study

AIM

To explore the use of quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) in assessing changes in brain iron deposits and their association with cognitive function in patients with minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study cohort comprised 27 cases with hepatitis B-associated cirrhosis with MHE (MHE group), 25 with hepatitis B-associated cirrhosis without MHE (NMHE group), and 25 healthy controls (HC group). Iron deposits in the bilateral frontal white matter, caudate nucleus (CN), putamen, globus pallidus, thalamus, red nucleus, substantia nigra (SN), hippocampus, and dentate nucleus were measured by QSM. The associations between iron deposition with the time taken to complete number connection tests A (NCT-A) and the score on digital-symbol test (DST) were analysed.

RESULTS

Susceptibility values differed significantly in the bilateral CN, left thalamus, right SN, and left hippocampus in the MHE group compared with the other groups and were positively associated with the times taken to complete the NCT-A in the bilateral CN, left thalamus, and right SN and negatively associated with DST scores in the bilateral CN, left TH, and left HP.

CONCLUSION

Reduced cognitive function in MHE patients was significantly associated with abnormally increased iron deposition in certain brain areas. The quantification of brain iron deposition by QSM may thus be an objective and accurate means of evaluating MHE.

Regression-based Chinese norms of number connection test A and digit symbol test for diagnosing minimal hepatic encephalopathy

Number connection test A (NCT-A) and digit symbol test (DST), the preferential neuropsychological tests to detect minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) in China, haven't been standardized in Chinese population. We aimed to establish the norms based on a multi-center cross-sectional study and to detect MHE in cirrhotic patients. NCT-A and DST were administered to 648 healthy controls and 1665 cirrhotic patients. The regression-based procedure was applied to develop demographically adjusted norms for NCT-A and DST based on healthy controls. Age, gender, education, and age by education interaction were all predictors of DST, while age, gender, and education by gender interaction were predictors of log10 NCT-A. The predictive equations for expected scores of NCT-A and DST were established, and Z-scores were calculated. The norm for NCT-A was set as Z ≤ 1.64, while the norm for DST was set as Z ≥ - 1.64. Cirrhotic patients with concurrent abnormal NCT-A and DST results were diagnosed with MHE. The prevalence of MHE was 8.89% in cirrhotic patients, and only worse Child-Pugh classification (P = 0.002, OR = 2.389) was demonstrated to be the risk factor for MHE. The regression-based normative data of NCT-A and DST have been developed to detect MHE in China. A significant proportion of Chinese cirrhotic patients suffered from MHE, especially those with worse Child-Pugh classification.

Covert hepatic encephalopathy is associated with aggressive disease progression and poor survival in patients with cirrhosis

OBJECTIVES

Covert hepatic encephalopathy (CHE) negatively affects the health-related quality of life and increases the risk of overt HE (OHE) in patients with liver cirrhosis. However, the impact of CHE on long-term patient outcomes remains controversial. This study aimed to explore the association between CHE and disease progression and survival among cirrhotic patients.

METHODS

This was a single-center prospective study that enrolled 132 hospitalized patients with cirrhosis, with an average follow-up period of 45.02 ± 23.06 months. CHE was diagnosed using the validated Chinese standardized psychometric hepatic encephalopathy score.

RESULTS

CHE was detected in 35.61% cirrhotic patients. During the follow-up, patients with CHE had a higher risk of developing OHE (log-rank 5.840, P = 0.016), exacerbation of ascites (log-rank 4.789, P = 0.029), and portal vein thrombosis (PVT) (log-rank 8.738, P = 0.003). Cox multivariate regression analyses revealed that CHE was independently associated with the occurrence of OHE, exacerbation of ascites, and PVT. Furthermore, patients with progression of cirrhosis were more likely to be diagnosed as CHE (log-rank 4.462, P = 0.035). At the end of the follow-up, patients with CHE had a lower survival rate compared to those without CHE (log-rank 8.151, P = 0.004). CHE diagnosis (hazard ratio 2.530, P = 0.008), together with elder age and higher Child-Pugh score, were risk factors for impaired survival in cirrhotic patients.

CONCLUSION

CHE is associated with disease progression and poor survival in patients with cirrhosis, indicating that CHE may serve as an independent predictor of poor prognosis among these patients.

Psychometric Hepatic Encephalopathy Score for the Diagnosis of Minimal Hepatic Encephalopathy in Thai Cirrhotic Patients

The psychometric hepatic encephalopathy score (PHES) is the gold standard for diagnosing minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE). Screening for MHE is frequently overlooked in clinical practice due to time constraints. Furthermore, the simplified animal naming test (S-ANT1) is a new simple tool for evaluating MHE in cirrhotic patients. The purpose of this study was to standardize the PHES in a healthy Thai population, assess the prevalence of MHE, and validate the S-ANT1 in detecting MHE in patients with cirrhosis. The study included 194 healthy controls and 203 cirrhotic patients without overt HE. Psychometric tests and the S-ANT1 were administered to all participants. Multiple linear regression was used to analyze factors related to PHES results, and formulas were developed to predict the results for each PHES subtest. In healthy controls, age and education were predictors of all five subtests. The PHES of the control group was −0.26 ± 2.28 points, and the threshold for detecting MHE was set at ≤ −5 points. The cirrhotic group had PHES values of −2.6 ± 3.1 points. Moreover, MHE was found to be present in 26.6% of cirrhotic patients. S-ANT1 had a moderate positive correlation with PHES (r = 0.44, p < 0.001). S-ANT1 < 22 named animals detected MHE with a sensitivity of 71.2%, specificity of 65%, and area under the receiver operating curve of 0.68 (p < 0.001). In conclusion, Thai PHES normative data have been developed to detect MHE in cirrhotic patients who do not have overt HE. The optimal cutoff for detecting MHE in Thai cirrhotic patients was PHES ≤ −5 points and S-ANT1 < 22 named.

Construction of an early warning model of hepatic encephalopathy in patients with liver cirrhosis based on psychological testing

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

To establish an early warning model of hepatic encephalopathy in patients with liver cirrhosis based on psychological testing.

METHODS

Data including patient demographics, number connection test-A (NCT-A), digit symbol test (DST), Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) scores were collected for patients admitted to a tertiary hospital in Shanghai with liver cirrhosis between January and December 2019. Patients were divided into two groups based on the development of hepatic encephalopathy (the hepatic encephalopathy group and non-hepatic encephalopathy group). Risk factors for hepatic encephalopathy in patients with liver cirrhosis were determined by using the binary logistic regression. We developed a predictive model in accordance with the STARD statement criteria (Supplementary File S1) with a cut-off value determined by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis and calculation of the Youden index.

RESULTS

A total of 417 patients with liver cirrhosis were included in the present study. Of these, 33 out of 66 patients with abnormal psychological tests had hepatic encephalopathy during hospitalisation. In contrast, 6 out of 317 patients with normal psychological tests had hepatic encephalopathy. Logistic regression analysis identified age, MELD score, and abnormal psychological tests as risk factors for hepatic encephalopathy in patients with liver cirrhosis. The area under the ROC curve for our prediction model for hepatic encephalopathy in patients with liver cirrhosis was 0.950 and the largest calculated Youden index was 0.804, which corresponds to a cut-off value is 0.0307.

CONCLUSION

Greater age, higher MELD score and abnormal psychological tests were significantly associated with increased risk of hepatic encephalopathy indicating early warning systems and identification of abnormal psychological tests are important components of the clinical nursing care process for cirrhotic patients. Our early warning model based on psychological testing can provide a basis for nursing observation and prevention of hepatic encephalopathy.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

Risk assessments for hepatic encephalopathy according to liver function and psychological tests, in addition to traditional neurological observations and dietary guidance, have utility in decreasing the incidence of hepatic encephalopathy.

EncephalApp stroop test versus electronic number connection test-A for screening minimal hepatic encephalopathy in patients with liver cirrhosis: a comparative study

OBJECTIVES

Minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) is a common neuropsychiatric complication of liver cirrhosis. Both EncephalApp Stroop test (EncephalApp) and electronic number connection test-A (eNCT-A) are novel computerised psychometric tests for MHE screening. We aimed to compare the efficiency, convenience, accessibility, and acceptability of EncephalApp with that of eNCT-A for MHE screening in cirrhotic patients.

METHODS

Ninety-five patients with hepatitis B-induced liver cirrhosis were included and respectively tested by the psychometric hepatic encephalopathy score (PHES), EncephalApp, and eNCT-A. Using PHES as the gold standard for MHE diagnosis, the efficiency of EncephalApp and eNCT-A for MHE screening were respectively analysed by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, and the areas under the ROC curve (AUROC) were compared. The convenience, accessibility, and acceptability of PHES, EncephalApp and eNCT-A were respectively evaluated by the 5-point Likert scale.

RESULTS

Fifty-two (55%) of included cirrhotic patients were diagnosed with MHE. The EncephalApp had a sensitivity of 84.6%, a specificity of 74.4%, and an AUROC of 0.836. Meanwhile, the eNCT-A had a sensitivity of 78.8%, a specificity of 83.7%, and an AUROC of 0.845. No significant difference in AUROC was detected between the EncephalApp and eNCT-A (p = .453). Compared with the EncephalApp, the eNCT-A presented better convenience and higher acceptability in cirrhotic patients undergoing MHE screening (p = .019 and p < .001, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

As with the EncephalApp, the eNCT-A will be a potential home monitoring and point-of-care tool for cirrhotic patients at high risk of MHE.

Efficacy of rifaximin against covert hepatic encephalopathy and hyperammonemia in Japanese patients

Covert hepatic encephalopathy (CHE) impairs patient quality of life and occurs in approximately 30% of liver cirrhosis (LC) cases. Japanese clinical practice guidelines recommend rifaximin to treat overt HE (OHE). However, the usefulness of rifaximin against CHE is not thoroughly investigated in Japanese patients. We aimed to investigate the efficacy of rifaximin against hyperammonemia and CHE in Japan. We observed 102 patients with HE showing hyperammonemia secondary to LC and examined various biochemical and behavioral parameters following rifaximin treatment. CHE was diagnosed when the patients exhibited two or more abnormal neuropsychological test (NPT) scores but did not indicate OHE symptoms. In the 102 cases, a significant therapeutic effect of rifaximin on hyperammonemia was observed from 2 to 48 weeks after starting treatment. Excluding 10 patients diagnosed with OHE upon starting rifaximin treatment, 12 of the 92 remaining patients (11.8%) transitioned to OHE within 1 year. The 1 year cumulative OHE transition rate was 14.5%. Among the 24 patients with CHE diagnosed by the NPT for whom NPT results could be evaluated at 4 and 12 weeks after starting treatment, 10 (41.6%) had recovered from CHE at 12 weeks. When the factors contributing to recovery from CHE were examined by multivariate analysis, an ammonia level <129 μg/dL was a significant factor. Rifaximin was thus significantly effective against both hyperammonemia and CHE in Japanese patients.

Metabolic syndrome is associated with poor response to rifaximin in minimal hepatic encephalopathy

Patients with cirrhosis may show minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE), for which rifaximin is effective. Metabolic syndrome may be associated with cognitive impairment. Our aims were to evaluate the influence of metabolic syndrome features on response to rifaximin for neurological and inflammatory alterations in MHE. A prospective cohort study was conducted in 63 cirrhotic patients and 30 controls from two tertiary centres recruited between 2015 and 2019. Metabolic syndrome was defined according to the Adult Treatment Panel-III. Patients were classified into 31 without and 32 with MHE according to the Psychometric Hepatic Encephalopathy Score (PHES). All participants performed specific psychometric tests, and inflammatory parameters were studied. Patients with MHE received rifaximin (400 mg/8 h). Response was evaluated by PHES at 3 and 6 months. Response according to metabolic syndrome manifestations was compared. The response rate was 66%. Older age (p = 0.012) and all metabolic syndrome diseases (p < 0.05) were associated with non-response, plus an increase in risk as the number of manifestations rose (p < 0.001). Patients with metabolic manifestations exhibited worse processing speed (p = 0.011), working memory (p = 0.005), visual coordination (p = 0.013) and lower proportion of activated CD4+ lymphocytes (p = 0.039) at baseline, as well as worse concentration (p = 0.030), bimanual coordination (p = 0.004) and higher levels of intermediate monocytes (p = 0.026), CX3CL1 (p < 0.05), IL-17 (p = 0.022), AHR (p = 0.010) and IgG (p < 0.05) at 3 and/or 6 months of rifaximin. Patients with clinical signs of metabolic syndrome have poor response to rifaximin for MHE, with a higher proportion of neurological alterations associated with a pro-inflammatory environment.

Using machine learning methods to predict hepatic encephalopathy in cirrhotic patients with unbalanced data

OBJECTIVE

Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is among the most common complications of cirrhosis. Data for cirrhosis with HE is typically unbalanced. Traditional statistical methods and machine learning algorithms thus cannot identify a few classes. In this paper, we use machine learning algorithms to construct a risk prediction model for liver cirrhosis complicated by HE to improve the efficiency of its prediction.

METHOD

We collected medical data from 1,256 patients with cirrhosis and performed preprocessing to extract 81 features from these irregular data. To predict HE in cirrhotic patients, we compared several classification methods: logistic regression, weighted random forest (WRF), SVM, and weighted SVM (WSVM). We also used an additional 722 patients with cirrhosis for external validation of the model.

RESULTS

The WRF, WSVM, and logistic regression models exhibited better recognition ability for patients with HE than traditional machine learning models (sensitivity> 0.70), but their ability to identify patients with uncomplicated HE was slightly lower (specificity approximately 85%). The comprehensive evaluation index of the traditional model was higher than those of other models (G-means> 0.80 and F-measure> 0.40). For the WRF, the G-means (0.82), F-measure (0.46), and AUC (0.82) were superior to those of the logistic regression and WSVM models, which means that it can better predict the incidence of HE in patients.

CONCLUSION

The WRF model is more suitable for the classification of unbalanced medical data and can be used to construct a risk prediction and evaluation system for liver cirrhosis complicated with HE. The probabilistic prediction models of WRF can help clinicians identify high-risk patients with HE.

Animal naming test for the assessment of minimal hepatic encephalopathy in Asian cirrhotic populations

BACKGROUND AND AIM

To evaluate the diagnostic performance of simplified animal naming test (S-ANT1) for minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) in patients with cirrhosis from a Chinese tertiary centre and to optimize the application strategy of S-ANT1 in clinical practice.

METHODS

The Animal Naming Test 1 (ANT1) was performed in all included cirrhotic patients and healthy volunteers. S-ANT1 was calculated to adjust for age and education. Psychometric Hepatic Encephalopathy Score (PHES) was also performed in patients with cirrhosis.

RESULTS

88 cirrhotic patients and 34 healthy control subjects were included. Cirrhotic patients were characterized with lower S-ANT1 scores (P =  0.001). In patients with cirrhosis, score of S-ANT1 was correlated with PHES score, age, school education period, and blood ammonia (all P values <0.05). With ≤20 animals as the cut-off value, S-ANT1 could distinguish MHE and no MHE with a sensitivity of 77.5% and a specificity of 58.3%. A three-step screening strategy, with 90% as a threshold for sensitivity and specificity and two cut-off values "≤12 animals" and ">23 animals", was then formulated to rule out patients with high possibility of MHE and with high possibility of no MHE. The remaining "ruled-in" patients should be further evaluated for MHE using PHES.

CONCLUSIONS

S-ANT1 is an important screening tool for MHE in cirrhotic patients. The three-step screening strategy based on S-ANT1 and PHES is conducive to the identification of MHE in clinical practice.

Minimal hepatic encephalopathy may be present despite the absence of non-invasive and elastography evidence of cirrhosis in patients with primary biliary cholangitis

PURPOSE

Minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) is an important complication of chronic liver disease (CLD); however, MHE burden in patients with primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) has not been determined yet. Therefore, our study aimed to assess the prevalence of MHE in a typical cohort of middle-aged, patients with PBC suspicion of liver fibrosis and to investigate the relationship between MHE, basic laboratory tests and the stage of liver fibrosis.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Fifty-one patients (38 with PBC and 13 controls), were prospectively enrolled. Portosystemic Encephalopathy-Syndrome test was used to diagnose MHE. Elastography point qualification (ElastPQ) and non-invasive markers (APRI and FIB-4) were used to assess liver fibrosis. The severity of CLD was assessed using the Model of End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) and Child-Pugh score.

RESULTS

MHE was diagnosed in 9 patients (24.3%) with PBC and none in the control group. As many as 44.4% of the patients with MHE had neither advanced fibrosis nor cirrhosis, as demonstrated using non-invasive markers of liver fibrosis or ElastPQ. The MELD score was the only predictor of MHE with cut-off value 8.5 [AUC ​= ​0.753, CI_95% ​= ​0.569 to 0.938)] with sensitivity of 56%, specificity of 85% and accuracy of the test of 78%. Non-invasive markers of liver fibrosis and ElastPQ did not predict MHE.

CONCLUSIONS

MHE may occur in PBC despite no evidence of advanced liver fibrosis or cirrhosis. The slightly elevated MELD score may indicate a substantially increased risk of MHE in patients with PBC.

Clinical efficiency of inhibitory control test for the diagnosis of minimal hepatic encephalopathy: A systematic review with meta-analysis

AIM

Minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) is a common neuropsychiatric complication of liver cirrhosis and portosystemic shunt. The inhibitory control test (ICT) is a novel computerized psychometric test for MHE diagnosis, but its efficiency has yet to be confirmed. This study aimed to systematically review the existing evidence concerning the ICT application and then evaluate the efficiency of ICT for MHE diagnosis in clinical practice.

METHODS

A comprehensive search of published works was carried out to identify reports concerning the ICT for MHE diagnosis between January 2000 and December 2020. The pooled sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic odds ratio of ICT for MHE diagnosis were calculated using a random or fixed effect model. The summary receiver operator characteristic (sROC) curve was constructed, and the area under the sROC curve was calculated. Metaregression and subgroup analyses were used to identify the source of heterogeneity. Publication bias was evaluated using the Deeks funnel plot asymmetry test.

RESULTS

Twelve studies were included in this systematic review, and nine studies enrolling 1022 patients were included in the final meta-analysis. The ICT had a pooled sensitivity, specificity, and DOR of 83%, 64%, and 9, respectively. The area under the sROC curve was 0.79. The metaregression analysis indicated that different locations of studies (relative diagnostic odds ratio, 12.65; p = 0.02) were identified as the source of heterogeneity. No significant publication bias was observed.

CONCLUSIONS

The ICT has a high sensitivity and moderate specificity for MHE diagnosis, and it can be used as a primary diagnostic method for MHE.

Minimal Hepatic Encephalopathy and Biejia-Ruangan Are Associated with First Hospital Readmission in Nonalcoholic Cirrhosis Patients

Introductionand Aim. Patients with cirrhosis are often hospitalized repeatedly for a variety of complications. This retrospective study aimed to assess the effects of minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) and Biejia-Ruangan (BR) on first hospital readmission in nonalcoholic cirrhosis patients without previous overt hepatic encephalopathy (OHE) or hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Materials and Methods. A total of 176 hospitalized patients with nonalcoholic cirrhosis were included in this retrospective study. Patients who were first admitted to Beijing Ditan Hospital of Capital Medical University from January 2017 to September 2019 were enrolled. The primary endpoint was their first liver-related hospital readmission. The risk factors for readmission were analyzed by Cox proportional hazard regression analysis. Results. A total of 176 nonalcoholic cirrhosis patients without previous OHE or HCC were included; 57 patients (32.4%) were diagnosed with MHE, and 63 patients (35.8%) were administered BR (2 g, three times a day). Multivariate analysis revealed that nonalcoholic cirrhosis patients with MHE (HR, 5.805; 95% CI, 3.007-11.206; x, P < 0.001) and a higher Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score (HR, 1.145; 95% CI, 1.068-1.227; P < 0.001) had an increased risk of first hospital readmission, and patients treated with BR (HR, 0.318; 95% CI, 0.151-0.670; P=0.003) had a decreased risk of first hospital readmission. Conclusion. MHE increased the risk of hospital readmission in nonalcoholic cirrhosis patients without previous OHE or HCC, and this risk was decreased by BR administration.

Novel computerized psychometric tests as primary screening tools for the diagnosis of minimal hepatic encephalopathy

Minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) is a critical neurocognitive complication of decompensated liver cirrhosis and portosystemic shunting, which results in a wide range of cognitive deficits including impairments in working attention, psychomotor speed, and executive function. Current guidelines have recommended paper-and-pencil psychometric tests for the diagnosis of MHE. Most high-risk cirrhotic patients are required to be examined; however, paper-and-pencil psychometric tests are neither convenient nor rapid to perform in the clinic. Recently, novel computerized psychometric tests, including the inhibitory control test, EncephalApp Stroop App, and critical flicker frequency, have been proven to be rapid, effective, and convenient methods for screening MHE in clinical practice and for identifying high-risk cirrhotic patients for further validation using rigid neuropsychometric examinations. However, diagnostic accuracy of these tests is influenced by educational background, age, and cultural differences. This review summarizes clinical evidence of the application of novel computerized psychometric tests for screening MHE.

EncephalApp Stroop App predicts poor sleep quality in patients with minimal hepatic encephalopathy due to hepatitis B-induced liver cirrhosis

BACKGROUND/AIM

A novel computerised Stroop test- EncephalApp Stroop App (EncephalApp) has good diagnostic validity for minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) in cirrhotic patients. The Stroop test is correlated with sleep disturbances which are common, and severely affects health-related quality of life in cirrhotic patients with MHE. We evaluated the relationship between sleep quality and EncephalApp results in patients with MHE due to hepatitis B-induced liver cirrhosis.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We enrolled 180 adult patients with hepatitis B-induced cirrhosis. All patients were tested using the psychometric hepatic encephalopathy score (PHES) and EncephalApp. We analysed the diagnostic validity of EncephalApp for MHE using PHES as the gold standard for reference. The sleep quality of included patients was evaluated using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). The predictive factors for poor sleep quality were analysed using backwards conditional stepwise logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

Ninety-eight patients (54.4%) were diagnosed with MHE by PHES. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis showed that the threshold value of EncephalApp for MHE diagnosis was 225.60 s. EncephalApp showed 85.2% sensitivity and 77.3% specificity for diagnosing MHE; the area under the ROC curve was 0.864. PSQI scores of cirrhotic patients with MHE were significantly lower than those without MHE (P < 0.05). Child Turcotte Pugh grades (Odds ratio [OR] = 2.11 [1.55-2.85], P < 0.01) and the total Off-time plus On-time of EncephalApp (OR = 4.14 [1.95-6.29], P < 0.01) were independent predictors of poor sleep quality in MHE patients.

CONCLUSIONS

The total Off-time plus On-time of EncephalApp predicts poor sleep quality in patients with MHE due to hepatitis B-induced cirrhosis.

Advances in psychometric tests for screening minimal hepatic encephalopathy: From paper-and-pencil to computer-aided assessment

Minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) is a major neuropsychiatric complication of liver cirrhosis and portosystemic shunting. Although MHE produces a spectrum of cognitive impairments in the domains of short-term attention, working memory, and executive function, it generally does not present with obvious clinical manifestation on conventional assessments. Paper-and-pencil psychometric tests, such as the psychometric hepatic encephalopathy score and the repeatable battery for the assessment of neuropsychological status, are recommended to diagnose MHE. However, these tests are neither rapid nor convenient to use in practice. To facilitate repeated testing in clinic and follow-up, computer-aided psychometric tests, such as the scan test, Cognitive Drug Research assessment battery, inhibitory control test, EncephalApp Stroop App, and critical flicker frequency, have been used to screen for MHE among patients with liver cirrhosis. The aim of this review was to describe the progression from the utility of paper-and-pencil to computer-aided psychometric tests for MHE screening in clinical practice.

Utility of the EncephalApp Stroop Test for covert hepatic encephalopathy screening in Chinese cirrhotic patients

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Considering the large size of the potential population and limitations of common detection methods, covert hepatic encephalopathy (CHE) is difficult to screen for routinely. The present study aims to explore EncephalApp Stroop Test as a smartphone-based CHE screening tool in China.

METHODS

A multicenter, single-visit study was carried out. The cutoff of the Chinese EncephalApp translation was determined by using Chinese standardized psychometric hepatic encephalopathy score (PHES) in cirrhotic patients as the gold standard. Indicators reflecting time required and number of tests on subtask on (naming the color of pound signs) and off (naming the color of the word in discordant coloring) were recorded, with the feedback from investigators and patients.

RESULTS

One hundred forty-four patients were included; 58 (40.28%) patients were diagnosed with CHE by PHES. The cutoff of > 97.34 s for off time and > 186.63 s for on time + off time had the maximum area under the curve values (0.77) in all patients. Furthermore, with the cutoff of 186.63 s, on time + off time has the highest sensitivity (0.86). However, the specificity was unsatisfactory (0.59). Age and alcoholic hepatitis (odds ratio = 1.05 and 3.12, both P < 0.05) were positively correlated with the risk of CHE. The experience with electronic devices and education duration were negatively correlated (odds ratio = 0.21 and 0.92, both P < 0.05). Compared with PHES, EncephalApp represented 38% time saving. Furthermore, it was superior to PHES regarding accessibility, convenience, and acceptability by administrators (all P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The EncephalApp Stroop Test is an efficient screening tool for CHE in Chinese cirrhotic patients.

Lactulose improves cognition, quality of life, and gut microbiota in minimal hepatic encephalopathy: A multicenter, randomized controlled trial

OBJECTIVE

Lactulose is effective in the treatment and prevention of overt hepatic encephalopathy (OHE), but there are limited data on its use on microbiota in relations to minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) recovery. The present study aimed to assess the efficacy of lactulose in recovery of MHE in aspects of cognitive function, quality of life, and impact on intestinal microbiota.

METHODS

This multicenter, open-label randomized controlled trial was conducted in 11 teaching hospitals in China. Participants were randomly allocated on a 2:1 basis to receive lactulose (Gp-L) or no therapy as control (Gp-NL) for 60 days. The primary endpoint was the MHE reversal rate. Gut microbiota were compared between MHE patients and healthy volunteers, as well as lactulose-responders and non-responders.

RESULTS

A total of 98 cirrhotic patients were included in the study, with 31 patients in the Gp-NL group and 67 patients in the Gp-L group. At day 60, the MHE reversal rate in Gp-L (64.18%) was significantly higher than that in Gp-NL (22.58%) (P = .0002) with a relative risk of 0.46 (95% confidence interval 0.32-0.67). Number needed to treat was 2.4. Further, there was significantly more improvement in physical functioning in Gp-L (4.62 ± 6.16) than in Gp-NL (1.50 ± 5.34) (P = .0212). Proteobacteria was significantly higher in MHE patients compared with healthy volunteers (12.27% vs 4.65%, P < .05). Significant differences were found between lactulose responders and non-responders in Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, and Proteobacteria.

CONCLUSIONS

Treatment with lactulose significantly improves MHE recovery rate, and gut microbiota change in MHE patients can modulate the effectiveness of this therapy. Chinese Clinical Trial Register (ChiCTR) (ID: ChiCTR-TRC-12002342).

Chinese guidelines on management of hepatic encephalopathy in cirrhosis

The Chinese Society of Hepatology developed the current guidelines on the management of hepatic encephalopathy in cirrhosis based on the published evidence and the panelists' consensus. The guidelines provided recommendations for the diagnosis and management of hepatic encephalopathy (HE) including minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) and overt hepatic encephalopathy, emphasizing the importance on screening MHE in patients with end-stage liver diseases. The guidelines emphasized that early identification and timely treatment are the key to improve the prognosis of HE. The principles of treatment include prompt removal of the cause, recovery of acute neuropsychiatric abnormalities to baseline status, primary prevention, and secondary prevention as soon as possible.

Critical flickering frequency test: a diagnostic tool for minimal hepatic encephalopathy

BACKGROUND

Minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) is underestimated. It affects 30-55% of patients with liver cirrhosis and can change their daily functions. Psychometric tests are sensitive in diagnosing MHE, but interpretation is difficult. Availability of a simpler diagnostic tool for MHE is mandatory. Critical flicker frequency (CFF) is a simple diagnostic test.

AIM

The aim of this study was to assess the diagnostic accuracy of CFF test for MHE.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A total of 86 patients with cirrhosis with negative history of overt hepatic encephalopathy were included. History, clinical examination, laboratory investigations, and abdominal ultrasonography data were collected. Arabic version of number connection test, serial dotting test, and line tracing test were done. Total psychometric hepatic encephalopathy score (PHES) was used to diagnose MHE. CFF was done for all patients with MHE diagnosis at 39 Hz.

RESULTS

Of the 86 patients, 45 (52.3%) had MHE with PHES. Patients with MHE had significantly older age, presentation with jaundice, ascites, lower hemoglobin level, lower serum albumin, prolonged INR, higher Child class and score (P≤0.001), and higher model of end stage liver disease score (P=0.001) than patients without MHE. In comparison with PHES, CFF has a sensitivity of 91.1±8.32%, specificity of 92.7±7.96%, positive predictive value of 93.2±7.44%, and negative predictive value of 90.4±8.91%. In receiver operating characteristic curve, CFF is excellent in diagnosis of MHE, with area under the curve 0.937 (P<0.001).

CONCLUSION

MHE is common among patients with liver cirrhosis. CFF is a simple, rapid, noninvasive test for diagnosis of MHE, with a very good accuracy at 39 Hz.

Impact of Hepatic Encephalopathy in Cirrhosis on Quality-of-Life Issues

Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) has a major impact on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in patients, which has clinical and psychosocial consequences. HRQOL in cirrhosis has been measured by generic and liver-specific instruments, with most studies indicating a negative impact of HE. HRQOL abnormalities span daily functioning, sleep–wake cycle changes, and the ability to work. Of these, sleep–wake cycle changes have a major effect on HRQOL, which remains challenging to treat. The personal effect of HRQOL is modulated by the presence of HE, the etiology of cirrhosis, and cognitive reserve. Patients with higher cognitive reserve are able to tolerate HE and its impact on HRQOL better than those with a poor cognitive reserve. The impact of HRQOL impairment is felt by patients (higher mortality and poor daily functioning), as well as by caregivers and families. Caregivers of patients with HE bear a major financial and psychological burden, which may affect their personal health and longevity.

Treatment with Melatonin Improves Cognitive Behavior and Motor Skills in a Rat Model of Liver Fibrosis

INTRODUCTION AND AIM

Patients with liver cirrhosis (LC) and minimal hepatic encephalopaty have a higher accident rate. LC impairs the normal sleep-awake cycle and produces disturbances in behavior, cognition and motor skills. Abnormal melatonin (MT) levels have also been identified in LC. Administration of MT may regulate circadian rhythms and prevent the oxidative damage. We studied the effects of MT on spatial memory acquisition (SMA) and motor skills in a liver fibrosis model (LF)s.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Forty-five rats, divided into 4 groups. [G1: LF; G2: LF + MT; G3: MT; G4: Healthy control (HC)]. LF was induced by carbon tetrachloride intraperitoneal injection (0.2 mL/kg) for 5 months. MT was administered during 5 weeks (0.4 mg/kg/day). SMA was evaluated by using the Morris Water Maze protocol where the escape latency (EL) and mean speed were measured. Data were registered by SMART®.

RESULTS

The EL measurement analyzed by two way ANOVA: cirrhosis presented a higher EL than controls or those treated with MT suggesting impaired memory acquisition which is rescued by MT treatment. The mean speed analysis revealed that LF presented higher speed than LF+MT or HC, suggesting that LF affects motor skills, which are improved by MT. To discard whether EL is affected by altered motor skills in LF treated with MT, we compared the average EL and speed between days 2 and 6 of the training protocol. Speed was not improved during the trials unlike EL, suggesting that memory acquisition is independent of motor skills.

CONCLUSION

These findings suggest that MT improves cognition and motor skills in the LF model.

Symptom prevalence and quality of life of patients with end-stage liver disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND:

End-stage liver disease is a common cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, yet little is known about its symptomatology and impact on health-related quality of life.

AIM:

To describe symptom prevalence and health-related quality of life of patients with end-stage liver disease to improve care.

DESIGN:

Systematic review.

DATA SOURCES:

We searched eight electronic databases from January 1980 to June 2018 for studies investigating symptom prevalence or health-related quality of life of adult patients with end-stage liver disease. No language restrictions were applied. Meta-analyses were performed where appropriate.

RESULTS:

We included 80 studies: 35 assessing symptom prevalence, 41 assessing health-related quality of life, and 4 both. The instruments assessing symptoms varied across studies. The most frequently reported symptoms were as follows: pain (prevalence range 30%–79%), breathlessness (20%–88%), muscle cramps (56%–68%), sleep disturbance (insomnia 26%–77%, daytime sleepiness 29.5%–71%), and psychological symptoms (depression 4.5%–64%, anxiety 14%–45%). Erectile dysfunction was prevalent (53%–93%) in men. The health-related quality of life of patients with end-stage liver disease was significantly impaired when compared to healthy controls or patients with chronic liver disease. Compared with compensated cirrhosis, decompensation led to significant worsening of both components of the 36-Item Short Form Survey although to a larger degree for the Physical Component Summary score (decrease from average 6.4 (95% confidence interval: 4.0–8.8); p < 0.001) than for the Mental Component Summary score (4.5 (95% confidence interval: 2.4–6.6); p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION:

The symptom prevalence of patients with end-stage liver disease resembled that of patients with other advanced conditions. Given the diversity of symptoms and significantly impaired health-related quality of life, multidisciplinary approach and timely intervention are crucial.

Effect of ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir + dasabuvir regimen on health-related quality of life for patients with hepatitis C

BACKGROUND & AIMS

This study analyses health-related quality of life data from 8 randomized clinical trials using ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir and dasabuvir ± ribavirin to investigate: (i) the impact of the treatment vs placebo during treatment on health-related quality of life; (ii) the sustainability of such treatment effect after 12-week treatment period; and (iii) if results from (i) and (ii) differ in subgenotypes 1a vs 1b.

METHODS

Six registration trials and 2 post-approval trials were pooled and analysed using longitudinal mixed models to estimate the effect of ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir and dasabuvir ± ribavirin on health-related quality of life outcomes adjusting for baseline scores, as well as patient demographics and clinical characteristics.

RESULTS

Patients treated with ribavirin-free ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir and dasabuvir regimen reported statistically significant increase in health-related quality of life outcomes as compared to placebo patients. While ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir and dasabuvir + ribavirin treatment saw statistically significant decline in health-related quality of life outcomes during treatment vs baseline and placebo, effect on health-related quality of life outcomes associated with ribavirin did not persist in the post-treatment period for ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir and dasabuvir patients followed for up to 52 weeks. The analysis also found Genotype 1b patients reported greater improvements in health-related quality of life as compared to genotype 1a patients.

CONCLUSIONS

During the active treatment period, small but statistically significant decrements in health-related quality of life outcomes were observed potentially driven by ribavirin, which were not sustained during the post-treatment follow-up period. Differences were observed by patient subgenotype, where health-related quality of life improvements were consistently higher for genotype 1b patients as compared to genotype 1a patients.

Abnormal Regional Homogeneity and Functional Connectivity of Baseline Brain Activity in Hepatitis B Virus-Related Cirrhosis With and Without Minimal Hepatic Encephalopathy

Background and Aims: Abnormalities in neural activity have been reported in cirrhosis with minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE). However, little is known about the neurophysiological mechanisms in this disorder. We aimed to investigate the altered patterns of regional synchronization and functional connections in hepatitis B virus-related cirrhosis (HBV-RC) patients with and without MHE using both regional homogeneity (ReHo) and region of interest (ROI)-based functional connectivity (FC) computational methods.

Methods: Data of magnetic resonance imaging scans were collected from 30 HBV-RC patients with MHE, 32 HBV-RC patients without MHE (NMHE) and 64 well-matched controls. Several regions showing differences in ReHo after one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were defined as ROIs for FC analysis. Next, post hoc t-tests were applied to calculate the group differences in ReHo and FC (false discovery rate (FDR) correction, p < 0.05). Correlations between clinical variables and the altered ReHo and FC were then assessed in patient groups.

Results: Across three groups, significant ReHo differences were found in nine ROI regions mainly within the visual network (VN), dorsal attention network (DAN), somatomotor network (SMN), fronto parietal control (FPC) network and thalamus. Compared with healthy controls (HC), the MHE group exhibited abnormal FC mainly between the right calcarine (CAL.R) and middle frontal gyrus (MFG.L)/right thalamus. The MHE patients showed increased FC between the MFG.L and CAL.R compared to NMHE patients. Disease duration of MHE patients was positively correlated with increased mean ReHo values in the right fusiform gyrus (FFG); psychometric hepatic encephalopathy score (PHES) test scores were negatively correlated with increased FC between MFG.L and CAL.R and positively correlated with reduced FC between the CAL.R and THA.R. For NMHE patients, the mean ReHo values in the right frontal pole were positively correlated with disease duration and positively correlated with the PHES scores.

Conclusion: Our results exhibited that the functional brain modifications in patients with and without MHE are characterized by compound alterations in local coherence and functional connections in the VN, SMN, DAN, FPC networks and thalamus by using a combination of ReHo and ROI-based FC analysis. These functional imaging changes are correlated with disease duration/PHES. This study helped us gain a better understanding of the features of brain network modifications in cirrhosis.

JianPi HuaZhuo XingNao formula (Chinese herbal medicine) for the treatment of minimal hepatic encephalopathy: a protocol for a randomized, placebo-controlled pilot trial

BACKGROUND

Minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) is a subclinical state of hepatic encephalopathy with the possibility of developing into overt hepatic encephalopathy (OHE) and having adverse outcomes. However, no preventative medicine for MHE has been recommended so far. The aim is to evaluate the therapeutic effect of the JianPi HuaZhuo XingNao formula (JPHZXN) on MHE, specifically whether JPHZXN decreases OHE occurrence, through a randomized controlled trial.

METHOD

Seventy-two patients with MHE are enrolled and allocated in a 1:1 ratio in an experimental group and a control group. JPHZXN granules and placebos are dispatched to the experimental group and control group, respectively, for 24 weeks. The primary outcome is the incidence of developing OHE. The secondary outcomes are the patients' performances in number connection test A and the digital sign test as well as results from the health survey and chronic liver disease questionnaire.

RESULTS

This study will provide proof regarding the therapeutic effect of JPHZXN among patients with MHE.

CONCLUSION

The outcomes could grant clinicians an alternative choice when treating potentially progressive patients with MHE.

Natural history of covert hepatic encephalopathy: An observational study of 366 cirrhotic patients

AIM

To explore the natural history of covert hepatic encephalopathy (CHE) in absence of medication intervention.

METHODS

Consecutive outpatient cirrhotic patients in a Chinese tertiary care hospital were enrolled and evaluated for CHE diagnosis. They were followed up for a mean of 11.2 ± 1.3 mo. Time to the first cirrhosis-related complications requiring hospitalization, including overt HE (OHE), resolution of CHE and death/transplantation, were compared between CHE and no-CHE patients. Predictors for complication(s) and death/transplantation were also analyzed.

RESULTS

A total of 366 patients (age: 47.2 ± 8.6 years, male: 73.0%) were enrolled. CHE was identified in 131 patients (35.8%). CHE patients had higher rates of death and incidence of complications requiring hospitalization, including OHE, compared to unimpaired patients. Moreover, 17.6% of CHE patients developed OHE, 42.0% suffered persistent CHE, and 19.8% of CHE spontaneously resolved. In CHE patients, serum albumin < 30 g/L (HR = 5.22, P = 0.03) was the sole predictor for developing OHE, and blood creatinine > 133 μmol/L (HR = 4.75, P = 0.036) predicted mortality. Child-Pugh B/C (HR = 0.084, P < 0.001) and OHE history (HR = 0.15, P = 0.014) were predictors of spontaneous resolution of CHE.

CONCLUSION

CHE exacerbates, persists or resolves without medication intervention in clinically stable cirrhosis. Triage of patients based on these predictors will allow for more cost-effect management of CHE.

Critical flicker frequency is diagnostic of minimal hepatic encephalopathy

Minimal hepatic encephalopathy may affect up to 80% of cirrhotic patients, in the absence of overt hepatic encephalopathy. The objective of the study is to evaluate the accuracy of diagnosis of minimal hepatic encephalopathy with critical flicker frequency (CFF). The study was conducted on 180 patients with post hepatitis C liver cirrhosis and on 60 healthy subjects as control. Patients and controls were divided into four groups: group 1 (60), healthy individuals as a control group; group 2 (60), patients with liver cirrhosis (Child class A); group 3 (60), patients with liver cirrhosis (Child class B); and group 4 (60), patients with liver cirrhosis (Child class C). All participants were subjected to estimation of CFF, line drawing test, complete blood picture, liver functions, viral markers, and abdominal ultrasound. CFF detected abnormality in 90% of patients. Accuracy of CFF in differentiation of Child A from normal is 100%, Child B from normal is 100%, Child C from normal is 100%, Child A from Child B is 80%, Child A from Child C is 100% and Child B from Child C is 100%, and it has higher accuracy than line drawing test. CFF is a simple, reliable and accurate method for the diagnosis of minimal hepatic encephalopathy. It is not influenced by the patient level of education.

Reversibility of minimal hepatic encephalopathy following liver transplantation in Egyptian cirrhotic patients

AIM

To evaluate the reversibility of minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) following liver transplantation (LT) in Egyptian cirrhotic patients.

METHODS

This prospective study included twenty patients with biopsy-proven liver cirrhosis listed for LT and twenty age- and sex-matched healthy control subjects. All underwent neuro-psychiatric examination, laboratory investigations, radiological studies and psychometric tests including trail making test A (TMT A), TMT B, digit symbol test and serial dotting test. The psychometric hepatic encephalopathy score (PHES) was calculated for patients to diagnose MHE. Psychometric tests were repeated six months following LT in the cirrhotic patient group.

RESULTS

Before LT, psychometric tests showed highly significant deficits in cirrhotic patients in comparison to controls (P < 0.001). There was a statistically significant improvement in test values in the patient group after LT; however, their values were still significantly worse than those of the controls (P < 0.001). The PHES detected MHE in 16 patients (80%) before LT with a median value of -7 ± 3.5. The median PHES value was significantly improved following LT, reaching -4.5 ± 5 (P < 0.001), and the number of patients with MHE decreased to 11 (55%). The pre-transplant model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score ≥ 15 was significantly related to the presence of post-transplant MHE (P = 0.005). More patients in whom reversal of MHE was observed had a pre-transplant MELD score < 15.

CONCLUSION

Reversal of MHE in cirrhotic patients could be achieved by LT, especially in those with a MELD score < 15.

Minimal hepatic encephalopathy: A review

Minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) is the earliest form of hepatic encephalopathy and can affect up to 80% of patients with liver cirrhosis. By definition, MHE is characterized by cognitive function impairment in the domains of attention, vigilance and integrative function, but obvious clinical manifestation are lacking. MHE has been shown to affect daily functioning, quality of life, driving and overall mortality. The diagnosis can be achieved through neuropsychological testing, recently developed computerized psychometric tests, such as the critical flicker frequency and the inhibitory control tests, as well as neurophysiological procedures. Event related potentials can reveal subtle changes in patients with normal neuropsychological performances. Spectral analysis of electroencephalography (EEG) and quantitative analysis of sleep EEG provide early markers of cerebral dysfunction in cirrhotic patients with MHE. Neuroimaging, in particular MRI, also increasingly reveals diffuse abnormalities in intrinsic brain activity and altered organization of functional connectivity networks. Medical treatment for MHE to date has been focused on reducing serum ammonia levels and includes non-absorbable disaccharides, probiotics or rifaximin. Liver transplantation may not reverse the cognitive deficits associated with MHE. We performed here an updated review on epidemiology, burden and quality of life, neuropsychological testing, neuroimaging, neurophysiology and therapy in subjects with MHE.

Serum level of taurine would be associated with the amelioration of minimal hepatic encephalopathy in cirrhotic patients

AIM

A variety of treatment modalities including L-carnitine have been tried for cirrhotic patients with minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE), which improved MHE for some patients, but were not effective for the other patients. We aimed to identify pre-therapeutic independent factors to predict the amelioration of MHE after L-carnitine treatment.

METHODS

We performed a prospective cohort study on a total of 64 consecutive outpatients of cirrhotic patients who underwent blood biochemical examinations and neuropsychiatric (NP) test at Kobe University Hospital. MHE patients diagnosed by the NP test were p.o. administrated L-carnitine for 3 months. The patients with and without MHE amelioration were compared, and the independent factors were statistically examined. Predictive scoring systems of the amelioration of MHE were established using multivariate logistic regression.

RESULTS

The amelioration of MHE was found in 45.8% of MHE patients. Serum taurine before the treatment was the best predictive factor of the amelioration of MHE (P = 0.046). The predictive model using serum taurine discriminated well between patients with and without the amelioration of MHE (area under the receiver-operator curve, 0.748; 95% confidence interval, 0.531-0.901). The predictive scores of the amelioration of MHE enable the patient-specific probability to be easily looked up.

CONCLUSION

Serum taurine before L-carnitine treatment was shown to be an independent factor associated with the amelioration of MHE 3 months after the treatment. The easy pre-therapeutic prediction of MHE amelioration after L-carnitine treatment would help in improving awareness of the selection of MHE patients with good response to L-carnitine, thus being beneficial from a financial perspective.

Serum metabolic profiling in 29 patients with minimal hepatic encephalopathy

AIM: To screen the specific biomarkers for minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE).

METHODS: Serum samples were collected from 50 normal volunteers and 29 MHE patients from February 2014 to August 2014 and tested using gas chromatography-time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Principal components analysis and orthogonal partial least square discriminant analysis were performed to detect the specific metabolites of MHE.

RESULTS: Sixty different metabolites were found between MHE patients and normal volunteers, including homocysteine, taurine, docosahexaenoic acid, tyrosine, phenylalanine, valine, isoleucine, allo-isoleucine, etc.

CONCLUSION: Compared with normal controls, different serum metabolites were found in MHE patients. These metabolites might be specific biomarkers for MHE.

Chronic Liver Disease Questionnaire would be a primary screening tool of neuropsychiatric test detecting minimal hepatic encephalopathy of cirrhotic patients

AIM

The neuropsychiatric test (NP test) is a clinically available modality to confirm minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE), but it takes at least 30 min for outpatients to complete. An easier primary screening tool of the NP test would be helpful to predict MHE in routine testing on the public.

METHODS

We performed a prospective cohort study on 59 cirrhotic outpatients at Kobe University Hospital. Laboratory measurements, the NP test and the Chronic Liver Disease Questionnaire (CLDQ) were performed. As an indicator of MHE, cases with and without two abnormal subsets or more in the NP test were compared, and the independent risk factors were statistically examined. Predictive scoring systems of the risk of MHE were established using multivariate logistic regression.

RESULTS

CLDQ worry (WO) was the best predictive factor of MHE diagnosed by the NP test (P = 0.006). The predictive model using CLDQ WO discriminated well between patients with and without MHE (area under the curve, 0.714; 95% confidence interval, 0.582-0.824). The predictive scores of MHE enable the patient-specific probability to be easily looked up.

CONCLUSION

CLDQ WO was shown to be an independent factor associated with the NP test to diagnose MHE in cirrhotic patients. The easy predictive scoring system of the risk of MHE using CLDQ WO could become a primary screening tool before performing the NP test in a social setting.

Significance of magnetic resonance spectroscopy in diagnosis of minimal hepatic encephalopathy

AIM: To assess the value of 3T magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) in the diagnosis of minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE).

METHODS: MRS was performed using point-resolved echo spin spectroscopy (PRESS) sequences in patients with liver cirrhosis with MHE (n = 30) and without MHE (n = 30), and age- and sex-matched healthy controls (n = 30). The choline (Cho), myo-inositol (mIns), glutamine (Glx), creatine (Cr) and N-acetylaspartate (NAA) at the left parietal lobe were determined at MRS. The metabolic ratios of Cho/Cr, mIns/Cr, Glx/Cr and NAA/Cr were calculated, and then compared among the three groups. The correlation of the cerebral metabolite ratios with venous ammonia values was also analyzed.

RESULTS: There were decreased mIns/Cr and Cho/Cr (P < 0.05) and elevated Glx/Cr (P < 0.01) in patients with MHE compared to the normal control group. There was no significant difference in NAA/Cr among the three groups. Compared with the no-MHE group, the patients with MHE showed significantly decreased mIns/Cr in the left parietal lobe (P < 0.05). No statistical correlation between metabolite ratios and venous ammonia values was found.

CONCLUSION: 3T MRS may be of value in the diagnosis of MHE and there is no statistical correlation between metabolite ratios and venous ammonia values.

Systematic review: patient-reported outcomes in chronic hepatitis C--the impact of liver disease and new treatment regimens

BACKGROUND

Treatment for chronic hepatitis C (CH-C) is rapidly changing and moving away from an interferon and ribavirin-based therapy to interferon-free ribavirin-free all oral regimens. These regimens are simpler and shorter to administer with very high efficacy rates and better side effect profiles. As advances in the treatment of CH-C occur, it is imperative to capture both clinical outcomes (efficacy and safety) as well as patient-reported outcomes (PROs). In fact, PROs assesses and quantifies the impact of these regimens on patient experience. PROs assess patients' health-related quality of life (HRQOL) especially in the realms of fatigue and neuropsychiatric issues such as depression which can affect treatment adherence and work productivity.

AIM

To review the literature related to PRO's in HCV patients and summarise the impact of CH-C and its treatment on PROs.

METHODS

Databases Ovid MEDLINE and PubMed were searched from 1990 to October 2014 using a combination of MEsh, thesaurus terms and relevant text words: hepatitis C, CH-C, treatment, quality of life, health-related quality of life, fatigue, work productivity, adherence, patient-reported outcomes, direct acting anti-viral agents and second generation direct acting anti-viral agents. Each manuscript was assessed for pertinence to the issue of PROs in CH-C as well as the quality of study design and publications.

RESULTS

From the literature, it is evident that CH-C patients have baseline PRO impairment. Furthermore, treatment with interferon with or without ribavirin and first generation DAAs causes additional PRO burden which can negatively impact treatment adherence and indirectly, treatment efficacy and work productivity. The new treatment regimens with interferon- and ribavirin-free regimens not only have very high efficacy, but also result in the improvement of PRO scores as early as 2 weeks into treatment as well as possibly better adherence to treatment regimens.

CONCLUSIONS

CH-C and its treatment have been associated with patient-reported outcome impairment. The new IF-free and RBV-free regimens are associated with high efficacy and substantial improvement of patient-reported outcomes in clinical trial setting. Although very encouraging, more data are needed to assess patient-reported outcomes, adherence and work productivity of CH-C patients in the real world setting of clinical practice.

A meta-analysis of the correlation between the HLA-DRB1*03 allele and chronic hepatitis B in the Han Chinese population

OBJECTIVE

This study sought to use a meta-analysis approach to comprehensively evaluate correlations between the human leukocyte antigen-DR beta 1 (HLA-DRB1)*03 allele and chronic hepatitis B (CHB) in the Han Chinese population.

METHODS

The China Biomedical Literature database (CBMdisc), the Chongqing VIP database (VIP), and the PubMed database were searched. Using the inclusion and exclusion criteria of this study, all relevant case-control studies retrieved in these searches that satisfied the conditions of this investigation were collected. Review Manager (RevMan) 5.2 software was used to conduct a meta-analysis on the results of these studies.

RESULTS

There were 9 publications that satisfied the inclusion criteria. These publications included a total of 970 cases in the CHB group and 1185 cases in the normal control group. Egger's test revealed no significant publication bias. A comprehensive analysis indicated that the pooled odds ratio (OR) value was 1.94 with a 95% confidence interval (CI) of 1.23-3.06 (Z=2.84, p=0.004); these findings suggested that in the Han Chinese population, the HLA-DRB1*03 allele is a susceptibility allele related to the occurrence of CHB.

CONCLUSION

There is a statistically significant correlation between the HLA-DRB1*03 allele and the occurrence of CHB in the Han Chinese population, and the HLA-DRB1*03 allele may be a susceptibility allele for this disease.

Progress in diagnosis of minimal hepatic encephalopathy

Minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) is defined as HE without symptoms on clinical/neurological examination, but with deficits in some cognitive areas that can only be measured by neuropsychometric testing. MHE is associated with reduced quality of working, driving, memory, and cognitive function, and is a risk factor for the development of overt HE. Compared with non-MHE patients, MHE patients have a high mortality rate, so positive screening and intervention in patients with MHE are needed to improve the quality of life in patients with cirrhosis and reduce traffic accidents and the social burden of medical care. The current approach to the diagnosis of MHE includes mental scales (paper pencil test, computer test, or the combination of the two), electrophysiological examination, and imaging examination. Diagnosis of MHE is still a challenge now, and it is needed to establish a better clinical diagnosis standard to improve the diagnostic level.

Aberrant interhemispheric functional coordination in patients with HBV-related cirrhosis and minimal hepatic encephalopathy

Aberrant brain functional connectivity has been considered as the important mechanism underlying minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE); however, little is known about the change in interhemispheric connection in MHE patients. Twenty patients with HBV-related cirrhosis and MHE and 15 healthy controls were included in this study and underwent the resting-state fMRI scanning and diffusion tensor imaging. The functional connectivity between symmetric interhemispheric voxels was computed by a technique called voxel-mirrored homotopic connectivity (VMHC), in which the time series for each voxel in one hemisphere was correlated with that of its homotopic voxel. Diffusion tensor imaging was conducted to measure the mean diffusivity (MD) and fractional anisotropy (FA) values in corpus callosum (CC). Compared with controls, MHE patients showed decreased regional VMHC in medial frontal gyrus, superior frontal gryus, anterior cingulate gyrus, inferior parietal lobule, postcentral gyrus, lingual gyrus, and middle occipital gyrus. MHE patients had significant decreased FA value in CC genu and CC splenium and increased MD value in CC genu. Pearson correlation analyses showed that the VMHC in anterior cingulate gyrus/medial frontal gyrus was correlated with FA/MD values of CC genu. These findings may suggest aberrant interhemispheric coordination in MHE and may provide new insight into the disease-related mechanisms.

Management of hepatic encephalopathy

OPINION STATEMENT

Hepatic encephalopathy management varies depending on the acuity of liver failure. However, in patients with either acute or chronic liver failure five basic steps in management are critical: stabilization, addressing modifiable precipitating factors, lowering blood ammonia, managing elevated intracranial pressure (ICP) (if present), and managing complications of liver failure that can contribute to encephalopathy, particularly hyponatremia. Because liver failure patients are prone to a variety of other medical problems that can lead to encephalopathy (such as coagulopathy associated intracranial hemorrhage, electrolyte disarray, renal failure, hypotension, hypoglycemia, and infection), a thorough history, physical and neurologic examination is mandated in all encephalopathic liver failure patients. There should be a low threshold for brain imaging in patients with focal neurological deficits given the propensity for spontaneous intracranial hemorrhage. In patients with acute liver failure and high grade encephalopathy, identification of the etiology of acute liver failure is essential to guide treatment and antidote administration, particularly in the case of acetaminophen poisoning. Equally critical is management of elevated ICP in acute liver failure. Intracranial hypertension can be treated with hypertonic saline and/or adjustment of the dialysis bath. Placement of an intracranial monitor to guide ICP therapy is risky because of concomitant coagulopathy and remains controversial. Continuous renal replacement therapy may help lower serum ammonia, treat coexisting uremia, and improve symptoms. Liver transplantation is the definitive treatment for patients with acute liver failure and hepatic encephalopathy. In patients with chronic hepatic encephalopathy, lactulose and rifaxamin remain a mainstay of therapy. In these patients, it is essential to identify reversible causes of hepatic encephalopathy such as increased ammonia production and/or decreased clearance (eg, infection, GI bleed, constipation, hypokalemia, dehydration). Chronic hyponatremia should be managed by gradual sodium correction of no more than 8‒12 meq/L per day to avoid central myelinolysis syndrome. Free water restriction and increased dietary sodium are reasonable, cost effective treatment options. Many emerging therapies, both pharmacologic and interventional, are currently being studied to improve management of hepatic encephalopathy.

Psychometric hepatic encephalopathy score for diagnosis of minimal hepatic encephalopathy in China

AIM: To construct normal values for the tests of the psychometric hepatic encephalopathy score (PHES) and to evaluate its usefulness in the diagnosis of minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) among Chinese individuals with cirrhosis.

METHODS: The five tests of PHES, number connection test-A (NCT-A), number connection test-B, serial dotting test, line tracing test and digit symbol test (DST), were administered to all enrolled subjects in a quiet room with sufficient light. Cirrhotic subjects with overt HE were excluded by the West-Haven criteria and a detailed neurological examination. Based on the nomograms of healthy volunteers, the patients were classified as having MHE when their PHES was less than -4.

RESULTS: In total, 146 healthy volunteers completed all the PHES tests. Age and education years were confirmed to be predictors of all five tests. In total, 53 patients with liver cirrhosis completed the PHES. Of the patients with liver cirrhosis, 24 (45.3%), 22(41.5%) and 7(13.2%) had Child-Pugh grades A, B and C, respectively. MHE was diagnosed in 26 patients (49.1%). Compared with compensated cirrhotic patients (Child A), decompensated cirrhotic patients (Child B and C) had a higher proportion of MHE (65.5% vs 29.2%). No differences in age and education years were found between the MHE and non-MHE groups. NCT-A and DST were able to diagnose MHE with a sensitivity of 76.9% and a specificity of 96.3% (AUC = 0.866, K = 0.735).

CONCLUSION: The proportion of MHE is associated with liver function. NCT-A and DST are simple tools that can be used for the diagnosis of MHE in China.