Reversal of Low-Grade Cerebral Edema After Lactulose/Rifaximin Therapy in Patients with Cirrhosis and Minimal Hepatic Encephalopathy.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

Decreased magnetization transfer ratio (MTR) in the brain characterizes cerebral edema (CE) in patients with liver cirrhosis, but the role of treatment on its reversibility has not been studied in patients who have minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE). This study was carried to evaluate the reversibility of CE with lactulose and rifaximin treatment in patients with MHE and role of ammonia, pro-inflammatory interleukins (IL-1, IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α in its pathogenesis.

Methods

Twenty-three patients with cirrhosis (14 with MHE, 9 without MHE (NMHE)) and 6 healthy controls underwent ammonia, IL-1, IL-6, TNF-α estimation, and MTR in frontal white matter (FWM), parietal white matter (PWM), internal capsule (IC), and basal ganglia (BG).

Results

SUBMITTER: Rai R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4816249 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature