View clinical trials related to Hepatic Encephalopathy.
Filter by:The purpose of this study is to determine whether transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) combined with large spontaneous portosystemic shunts embolization are effective in the prevention of hepatic encephalopathy (HE).
To see if using ipod games can improve mental functioning
The aim of the current study is to determine whether rifaximin or lactulose is more effective in preventing the development of severe hepatic encephalopathy in hospitalized patients with cirrhosis and new onset kidney failure. Subjects will be randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups: Group A: Lactulose 20g dose titrated to 2-3 soft-formed bowel movements per day Group B: Rifaximin 550mg tablet twice daily. Subjects will be followed daily for two weeks or until hospital discharge. Treatment success is defined as prevention of grade 3 or 4 HE during hospitalization.
Investigating the impact of hepatic encephalopathy on default mode networks within the brain to provide more clues with understanding the physiology of consciousness and predicting the reversibility of comatose states.
The purpose of this study is to test feasibility of measuring flumazenil-induced changes in cortical GABA levels observed with localized 1H-MRS in relation to changes in severity of hepatic encephalopathy (HE) in subjects with non-alcoholic liver cirrhosis. This study is a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized, cross-over design.
The study is being conducted to evaluate the efficacy of Sildenafil (a 5-phosphodiesterase inhibitor) as a means to improve the cognitive impairment encountered in patients of minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) as proposed in different studies. This study would also assess the role of improvement of cognition as a means of improvement in quality of life.The patients will receive Sildenafil or no treatment for 4 weeks. This study may prove and provide important therapeutic strategy for cognition impairment in patients with MHE.
Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) is the first-line therapy for patients with cirrhosis and refractory ascites. However, mental changes known as hepatic encephalopathy (HE) frequently occur after TIPS. There is no effective method to predict HE after TIPS. Oral glutamine challenge (OGC) and psychometric tests have been used to assess the risk for HE, but never in patients undergoing TIPS. Severe muscle loss may also predispose patients to HE. The aim of the present study is to assess if both the OGC and psychometric tests can accurately predict the development of overt HE after TIPS. Patients will be studied before TIPS and followed after TIPS for the development of HE. The role of muscle loss in favoring HE, as well as is possible reversibility after TIPS will also be investigated.
As an alternative for the treatment of Minimal Hepatic Encephalopathy (MHE) Agave fructans have shown prebiotic effects, and have shown to improve function of the digestive system, control and induce glycemic effect satiety. Therefore the impact of the fermentation of such prebiotic in the gut may contribute to improving health and quality of life of patients with MHE.
Patients with cirrhosis are particularly prone to infection which is frequently a precipitant of hepatic encephalopathy, renal failure and circulatory collapse. Bacterial infections are of particular concern in patients with cirrhosis because they are poorly tolerated. Sepsis and associated endotoxaemia whereby bacteria produce inflammatory particles occur in approximately 40% of hospitalized patients with cirrhosis and is a major cause of death. Gut-derived and blood-borne pathogens can induce an inflammatory response within the liver and spleen, which are the major organs that remove bacteria and their endotoxin (such as lipopolysaccharide - LPS and bacterial DNA itself) from the bloodstream. Several mechanisms have been identified and proposed in this process which depends upon a balance between the barrier functions of the gut and the 'detoxifying' capacity of the liver. People with established liver cirrhosis have been shown to have escape of endotoxin into the bloodstream produced by bacteria that reside in their intestines, which becomes more permeable or 'leaky'. Gut dysfunction is defined by changes in the types of bacteria within the gut and in overall permeability allowing bacterial products which would otherwise be contained within the gut to travel into the bloodstream and lymphatic system with detrimental effects elsewhere in the body. This passage of bacterial products is termed bacterial translocation, and it's effects on the liver and general immune system can be then be measured. It has now become recognised that certain types of white blood cells such as neutrophils and monocytes become dysfunctional and this predisposes to infection and may also have a more direct pathogenic role in hepatic encephalopathy. Thus neutrophil and monocytes may be a novel pharmacotherapeutic target in a condition where current therapies such as bowel aperients (e.g. lactulose) are inadequate. A therapeutic strategy utilising Rifaximin, a non-absorbable antibiotic, to modulate gut bacterial which produce ammonia, a chemical known to be important in the cause of hepatic encephalopathy, could potentially lower gut-derived systemic inflammation, endotoxaemia, infection and organ dysfunction in this population improving outcomes and prolonging transplant-free survival. We therefore plan to test if Rifaximin positively affects markers of immune dysfunction in patients with liver cirrhosis experiencing chronic hepatic encephalopathy after 30 days of treatment, as our primary research question. Positive results from this study would support further trials into the potential benefit of using Rifaximin to improve immune function, as well as reduce the recurrence of hepatic encephalopathy, in patients with liver cirrhosis.
Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is an important complication of liver cirrhosis. Lactulose is a first line treatment for HE, but the adherence to this treatment is relatively low, due to side effects such as diarrhea, distention, etc.