Proton pump inhibitors increase the severity of hepatic encephalopathy in cirrhotic patients

Table 2 Participant characteristics

Variables	Total, n = 103	PPI user, n = 75	PPI nonuser, n = 28	P value
Age, yr, Mean ± SD	58.3 (10.8)	59.6 (10.6)	55.3 (10.7)	0.044a
Sex, male, n (%)	71 (58.7)	54 (63.5)	17 (47.2)	0.143
On lactulose, n (%)	92 (76)	63 (74.1)	29 (80)	0.599
Bleeding in last 12 mo, n (%)	39 (32.2)	26 (30.6)	13 (36.1)	0.703
Infection, n (%)
Clostridium difficile colitis	5 (4.1)	5 (5.9)	0 (0)	0.324
Pneumonia	11 (9.1)	10 (11.8)	1 (2.8)	0.220
Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis	9 (7.4)	5 (5.9)	4 (11.1)	0.533
Serum ammonia level, Mean ± SD	61.1 (67.2)	67.8 (67.8)	45.5 (64.2)	0.095
Grade of hepatic encephalopathy, Mean ± SD	2.1 (0.9)	2.3 (0.9)	1.7 (0.7)	0.001b
MELD score, Mean ± SD	19.9 (7.2)	19.7 (7.4)	20.3 (6.7)	0.687
Length of stay in d, Mean ± SD	8.5 (7.0)	8.3 (7.9)	6.5 (3.7)	0.046a
Required ICU, n (%)	33 (27.3)	27 (31.8)	6 (16.7)	0.138
Expired, n (%)	11 (9.1)	10 (11.8)	1 (2.8)	0.220

^aP < 0.05,

^bP < 0.01. MELD: Model for end-stage liver disease; ICU: Intensive care unit.