Clinical Profile of Patients with Hepatic Encephalopathy in Cirrhosis of Liver

Abstract

Backgroud: Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is defined as a spectrum of neuropsychiatric abnormalities in patients with liver dysfunction, after exclusion of other known causes of brain disease. In India hepatic encephalopathy is considered as indicator of poor prognosis in patients of cirrhosis of liver with 1 year survival in just 42% patients and 3 year survival in 23% of patients. Aim and Objective: Study clinical profile for adverse outcome in patients of hepatic encephalopathy due to cirrhosis of liver. Methods and Methodology: This was a cohort type of study done for a period of 2 years from September 2016 to September 2018 on a study population of 130 patients. Cirrhosis of liver was confirmed by ultrasound of liver. Results: Study included 130 patients of HE secondary to cirrhosis of liver, 82% were males, 44% and 45 % of patients were in grade 2 and grade 3 of West Haven criteria respectively. Icterus, ascites and asterexis were present in almost 65% patients. Cirrhosis was associated with alcohol dependence among 75% of patients followed by NAFLD in 6.15% of patients. Other unknown causes were among 19(14.62%) patients. In our study lactulose was found as the leading treatment modality in 73.84% of patients. Conclusion: Most of the patients were in grade III of HE, alcohol was the most common etiology of cirrhosis, icterus was the most common sign of liver cell failure, most common drug used was lactulose.