Transcranial Doppler Ultrasound and Minimal Hepatic Encephalopathy

Institute of Hospitalization and Scientific Care (IRCCS)

Status: Completed

Conditions: Minimal Hepatic Encephalopathy

Treatments: Drug: Rifaximin

Study type: Observational

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT04077125

1712

Details and patient eligibility

About

Minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) is a subclinical complication of liver cirrhosis with a relevant social impact. Thus, there is urgent need to implement easy to use diagnostic tools for the early identification of affected patients.

This study was aimed to investigate cerebral blood flow, systemic hemodynamics as well as endothelial function of cirrhotic patients with MHE, and to verify their change after treatment with rifaximin.

Enrollment: 100 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• diagnosis of liver cirrhosis on the basis of clinical, laboratory and ultrasound findings

Exclusion criteria

• active alcohol abuse (excessive alcohol intake stopped more than 6 months before the enrollment);
• chronic pulmonary diseases; ongoing infections; cerebrovascular diseases; primary or secondary cerebral neoplasm; primary liver neoplasm; heart function failure; chronic kidney disease; peripheral vascular disease; treatment with rifaximin or systemic antibiotics in the previous 15 days;
• smoking habit;
• grade 1 or overt hepatic encephalopathy.

Trial design

100 participants in 3 patient groups

Cirrhosis no MHE

Description:

Patients with liver cirrhosis without signs of minimal hepatic encephalopathy

Cirrhosis MHE

Description:

Patients with liver cirrhosis with minimal hepatic encephalopathy

Treatment:

Drug: Rifaximin

Controls

Description:

Healhty subjects