Non invasive blood flow measurement in cerebellum detects minimal hepatic encephalopathy earlier than psychometric tests

Table 4 Correlations between tests and biochemical parameters and blood flow in the brain areas

Studied parameter/test	Sub-test	Frontal lobe	Parietal lobe	Occipital	Vermis	Cerebellar hemisphere	Thalamus
CFF		NS	NS	r = 0.353	r = -0.326	NS	NS
				P = 0.017	P = 0.025
PHES Global score		r = -0.36	NS	r = 0.309	r = -0.504	r = -0.348	NS
		P = 0.007		P = 0.031	P < 0.001	P = 0.01
	Symbol digit test	NS	NS	NS	NS	NS	NS
	NCT-A	r = -0.469	NS	NS	r = -0.530	r = -0.320	NS
		P < 0.001			P < 0.001	P = 0.018
	NCT-B	NS	NS	NS	r = -0.531	r = -0.307	NS
					P < 0.001	P = 0.027
	Serial dotting test	NS	NS	NS	NS	NS	NS
	Line tracing test	NS	NS	NS	r = -0.330	r = -0.364	NS
					P = 0.018	P = 0.007
STROOP	Congruent task	NS	NS	NS	r = -0.320	r = -0.354	NS
					P = 0.027	P = 0.012
	Neutral task	NS	NS	NS	NS	NS	NS
	Incongruent task	NS	NS	NS	NS	NS
							NS
Bimanual coordination		NS	NS	NS	NS	r = 0.362	NS
						P = 0.011
Visuo-motor coordination		NS	NS	NS	NS	r = 0.335	NS
						P = 0.017
cGMP in plasma (pmoles/mL)		NS	NS	NS	NS	r = 0.301	NS
						P = 0.034
Nitrates + Nitrites (mmol/L)		NS	NS	NS	r = 0.339	r = 0.362	NS
					P = 0.043	P = 0.023
3-Nitro-tyrosine (nmol/L)		NS	NS	NS	r = 0.358	NS	NS
					P = 0.011
IL-6 (pg/mL)		NS	NS	NS	NS	NS	NS
IL-18 (pg/mL)		NS	NS	r = -0.353	NS	NS	r = -0.405
				P = 0.041			P = 0.032
Ammonia (mmol/L)		NS	NS	NS	NS	NS	NS

PHES: Psychometric Hepatic Encephalopathy Score; NCT-A, NCT-B: Number Connection Test A and B, respectively; CFF: Critical flicker frequency; NS: No significant correlation.