Abstract
BackgroundCognitive dysfunction in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection may appear long before the development of severe liver cirrhosis. These alterations are not ascribed to hepatic encephalopathy; however, early detection is always difficult.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to assess the changes of magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) metabolites among chronic hepatitis C virus patients with and without cognitive impairment.Patients and methodsA cross-sectional study was conducted in Suez Canal University Hospital. Forty-six HCV patients was included and divided into two groups: patients with and without cognitive impairment. Assessment of cognitive function was done using mini-mental state examination and Wechsler Memory Scale - Revised. Both groups were subjected to single-voxel MRS to evaluate metabolites in three brain regions: the basal ganglia, hippocampus, and posterior cingulate gyrus.ResultsThe CHO/Cr was significantly higher, and NAA/Cr was significantly lower in group with cognitive impairment in the basal ganglia and posterior cingulate gyrus. Mini-mental state score had negative significant correlation with PCR of HCV. Mini-mental state score had significant negative and positive correlation with CHO/Cr and NAA/Cr, respectively, in the basal ganglia. All values of the Wechsler Memory Scale were statistically higher in the group without cognitive impairment except verbal memory score.ConclusionThere were changes at brain metabolites associated with cognitive impairment in chronic hepatitis C patients regarding a decrease of NAA/Cr ratio and an increase of CHO/Cr ratio at the basal ganglia.
Highlights
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is common in Egypt
There were changes at brain metabolites associated with cognitive impairment in chronic hepatitis C patients regarding a decrease of N-acetyl aspartate (NAA)/Cr ratio and an increase of CHO/Cr ratio at the basal ganglia
The CHO/Cr and the NAA/Cr were significantly higher in the group with cognitive impairment (Table 2)
Summary
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is common in Egypt. The prevalence of antibody to HCV in the general population is around 15–20% [1]. Studies using proton H magnetic resonance spectroscopy (H-MRS) showed decrease levels of N-acetyl aspartate (NAA) in frontal white matter and increase in myo-inosital (mI) and choline/creatine values in the basal ganglia in chronic hepatitis C patients. It is not known if these changes are related to cognitive impairment in chronic hepatitis C patients [5]. Cognitive dysfunction in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection may appear long before the development of severe liver cirrhosis These alterations are not ascribed to hepatic encephalopathy; early detection is always difficult
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