23.4% Saline Decreases Brain Tissue Volume in Severe Hepatic Encephalopathy as Assessed by a Quantitative CT Marker.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Cerebral edema is common in severe hepatic encephalopathy and may be life threatening. Bolus 23.4% hypertonic saline improves surveillance neuromonitoring scores, although its mechanism of action is not clearly established. We investigated the hypothesis that bolus hypertonic saline decreases cerebral edema in severe hepatic encephalopathy utilizing a quantitative technique to measure brain and cerebrospinal fluid volume changes.

Design

Retrospective analysis of serial CT scans, and clinical data for a case-control series were performed.

Setting

ICUs of a tertiary care hospital.

Patients

Patients with severe hepatic encephalopathy treated with 23.4% hypertonic saline and control patients who did not receive 23.4% hypertonic saline.

Interventions

SUBMITTER: Liotta EM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5243943 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature