Retrospective Study
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2020.
World J Hepatol. Jan 27, 2020; 12(1): 10-20
Published online Jan 27, 2020. doi: 10.4254/wjh.v12.i1.10
Table 1 Baseline characteristics of study patients (n = 62)
Demographic characteristics
Age, mean ± SD, yr62 ± 10
Male sex, n (%)45 (73)
Cirrhosis etiology, n (%)
Alcohol41 (66)
Alcohol withdrawal, n (%)34/41 (83)
Hepatitis-B or C virus16 (26)
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease10 (16)
Other7 (11)
Previous liver related complication, n (%)
HE62 (100)
Gastrointestinal bleeding28 (45)
Ascites39 (63)
Renal failure24 (39)
Hepatocellular carcinoma14 (23)
Presence of oesophageal varices48 (77)
TIPS, n (%)25 (40)
Scores
Child class, n
A/B/C2/36/24
Child score, mean ± SD9.2 ± 2.0
MELD, mean ± SD16.8 ± 6.4
Total number of HE events occurred in hospitalization or requiring hospitalization, n (%)
01 (2)
116 (26)
217 (27)
> 228 (45)
The highest West Haven grade1, n (%)
16 (10)
220 (32)
324 (39)
412 (19)
Repeated HE-related hospitalizations (> 1), n (%)42 (68)
Recurrent HE, n (%)34 (55)
Table 2 Predictive factors of response to treatment in the entire cohort (n = 62)
ParameterNon-responder (n = 26)Responder (n = 36)P value
Indication, n (%)
Prevention of recurrent HE episodes/prevention of recurrent acute exacerbations on persistent HE13 (50)/13 (50)16 (45)/20 (55)0.66
Sex (M/F), n (%)21 (81)/5 (19)24 (67)/12 (33)0.22
TIPS, n (%)8 (31)17 (47)0.19
Cirrhosis etiology, n (%)
Alcohol20 (77)21 (58)0.13
Hepatitis-B or C virus7 (27)9 (25)0.86
Lactulose therapy (period 1)
Patients treated, n (%)22 (85)31 (86)1.0
Mean dose, mean ± SD (g)35 ± 1739 ± 190.48
Age63 ± 1062 ± 100.89
HE (period 1)
HE events, mean ± SD1.41 ± 1.01.62 ± 1.160.23
HE-related hospitalizations, mean ± SD1.3 ± 1.01.40 ± 0.950.16
Length of HE-related hospitalization, mean ± SD14 ± 1317 ± 160.51
Repeated HE-related hospitalizations (> 1), n (%)16 (62)26 (72)0.37
Infectious events0.31 ± 0.440.35 ± 0.470.92
Biochemical
INR1.7 ± 0.81.6 ± 0.40.71
Serum albumin (g/L)28 ± 529 ± 50.63
Serum bilirubin (μmol/L)63 ± 9935 ± 200.11
Serum sodium (mmol/L)134 ± 7135 ± 50.62
Serum creatinine (μmol/L)97 ± 50107 ± 1110.65
AST (UI/L)59 ± 3180 ± 1350.45
ALT (UI/L)33 ± 1944 ± 300.11
Hemoglobin (g/dL)10.4 ± 1.910.5 ± 1.70.79
CRP (mg/L)13 ± 1911 ± 110.67
Scores
Child Pugh score9 ± 29 ± 21.0
MELD score16 ± 617 ± 60.53