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AIM:Subclinical hepatic encephalopathy (SHE) is a commoncomplication of liver diseases.The aim of this study wasto find out the normal value of psychometric test and toinvestigate the prevalence of SHE in Chinese patients withstabilized hepatic cirrhosis.METHODS:Four hundred and nine consecutive cirrhoticpatients without overt clinical encephalopathy werescreened for SHE by using number connection test part A(NCT-A) and symbol digit test (SDT).SHE was defined aspresence of at least one abnormal psychometric test.Theage-corrected normal values were defined as the mean±2times standard deviation (2SD),and developed in 356 healthypersons as normal controls.Four hundred and sixteenpatients with chronic viral hepatitis were tested as negativecontrols to assess the diagnostic validity of this test battery.RESULTS:There was no significant difference in NCTscores and SDT quotients between healthy controls andchronic hepatitis group (P>0.05).In all age subgroups,the NCT and SDT measurements of cirrhotic patientsdiffered significantly from those of the controls (P<0.05).When mean±2SD of SDT and NCT measurements fromhealthy control group was set as the normal range,229cirrhotic patients (29.1%) were found to have abnormalNCT-A and SDT tests,53 (13.0%) were abnormal only inSDT and 36 (8.8%) only in NCT-A.Taken together,SHEwas diagnosed in 208 (50.9%) cirrhotic patients by thistest battery.The prevalence of SHE increased from 39.9%and 55.2% in Child-Pugh’s grade A and B groups to 71.8%in Child-Pugh’s grade C group (P<0.05).After theadjustment of age and residential areas required from thetests,no correlation was found in the rate of SHE andcauses of cirrhosis,education level and smoking habit.CONCLUSION:Psychometric tests are simple and reliableindicators for screening SHE among Chinese cirrhoticpatients.By using a NCT and SDT battery,SHE could befound in 50.9% of cirrhotic patients without overt clinicalencephalopathy.The prevalence of SHE is significantlycorrelated with the severity of liver functions.
AIM: Subclinical hepatic encephalopathy (SHE) is a commoncomplication of liver diseases.The aim of this study wasto find out the normal value of psychometric test and to investigate the prevalence of SHE in Chinese patients with stabilized hepatic cirrhosis. METHODS: Four hundred and nine consecutive cirrhotic patients without overt clinical encephalopathy werescreened for SHE by using number connection test part A (NCT-A) and symbol digit test (SDT) .SHE was defined as at at least one abnormal psychometric test. theage-corrected normal values were defined as the mean ± 2times standard deviation (2SD), and developed in 356 healthypersons as normal controls. Full and sixteen patients with chronic viral hepatitis were tested as negative control to assess the diagnostic validity of this test battery. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in NCTscores and SDT quotients between healthy controls and chronic hepatitis group (P> 0.05). All age subgroups, the NCT and SDT measurements of cirrhotic patientsdiffered significantly from those of the controls (P <0.05) .When the mean ± 2 SD of SDT and NCT measurements from healthy control group was set as the normal range, 229 cirrhotic patients (29.1%) were found to have abnormal NCT-A and SDT tests, 53 (13.0%) were abnormal only in SDT and 36 (8.8%) only in NCT-A.Taken together, SHE was diagnosed in 208 (50.9%) cirrhotic patients by this test battery. The prevalence of SHE increased from 39.9% and 55.2% in Child-Pugh’s grade A and B groups to 71.8% in Child-Pugh’s grade C group (P <0.05). After the adjustment and age of residential area from the tests, no correlation was found in the rate of SHE and courses of cirrhosis, education level and smoking habit. CONCLUSION: Psychometric tests are simple and reliable indicators for screening SHE among Chinese cirrhotic patients. BY using a NCT and SDT battery, SHE could be befound in 50.9% of cirrhotic patients without overt clinicalencephalopathy. The prevalence of SHE is significantlycorrelated with the s everity of liver functions.