Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-v9fdk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-04T21:27:56.941Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Psychometrics in assessing hepatic encephalopathy – a brief review

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 June 2014

Mark G Davies ,
Michael J Rowan  and
John Feely
Mark G Davies
Affiliation:
Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Trinity Collegeand St. James' Hospital, Dublin
Michael J Rowan*
Affiliation:
Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Trinity Collegeand St. James' Hospital, Dublin
John Feely
Affiliation:
Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Trinity Collegeand St. James' Hospital, Dublin
*
Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Trinity College, Dublin 2
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Hepatic encephalopathy is a neuropsychiatric disorder usually associated with severe hepatic insufficiency. It may however be divided into clinical and subclinical groupings. Psychometric testing, serial EEG's, EEG spectral analysis and event related potentials are all presently being used to quantify and differentiate between the various stages of hepatic encephalopathy. We review the use of psychometrics in hepatic encephalopathy and discuss evidence that these findings are comparable with the more objective data of electrophysiological studies. An adequate, simple and inexpensive assessment may be carried out using a battery of psychometric tests which include number connection tests and five pointed star construction.

Keywords

Hepatic encephalopathypsychometricselectrophysiology
Type
Review Articles
Information
Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine , Volume 8 , Issue 2 , September 1991 , pp. 144 - 146
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1991

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1.Hahn, M, Morsen, O, Pavlov, L, Nenski, M. Die ecksche fistel zwischen der unteren Hahnliese und der Pfortader und Folgen Fur Organismen. Arch Exp Pathol Pharmakol 1893; 32: 162–210.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
2.Sherlock, S. Hepatic Encephalopathy. BJHM 1977; 17: 144–6.Google ScholarPubMed
3.Parsons-Smith, BG, Summerskill, WH, Dawson, AM, Sherlock, S. The EEG in liver disease. Lancet 1957; 2: 867–71.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
4.Summerskill, HJ, Davidson, EA, Sherlock, S, Steiner, RE. The neuropsychiatrie syndrome associated with hepatic cirrhosis and extensive portal collateral circulation. Quart J Med 1956; 25: 245–7.Google Scholar
5.Sherlock, S, Summerskill, WH, White, LP, Pear, EA. Portal systemic encephalopathy: neurological complications of liver disease. Lancet 1954; 2: 453–7.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
6.Laidlaw, J, Reid, AE. The EEG in Hepatic Encephalopathy. Clin Sci 1963; 24: 109–20.Google ScholarPubMed
7.Van der Ryt, CD, Schalm, SW, De Groot, GH, De Vlieger, M. Objective measurements of hepatic encephalopathy by means of automated EEG analysis. Electroencephalogr Clin Neurophysiol 1984; 57: 423–26.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
8.Ufer, C, Doffe, W, Martini, GA. Uberlebensdauer und Prognose bei Franken mit Leberkoma. Internist 1966; 7: 43–7.Google Scholar
9.Prytz, H, Sloth, K. Hepatic coma in cirrhosis of the liver. Scand J Gastroenterol 1973; 8: 229–33.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
10.Van der Ryt, CD, Schalm, SW. Quantitative EEG analysis and survival in liver disease. Electroencephalogr Clin Neurophysiol 1985; 61: 502–5.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
11.Gillen, W. The diagnosis and prevalence of subclinical hepatic encephalopathy in apparently ambulent non-shunted patients with cirrhosis. J Hepatol 1986; 3: 75–82.Google Scholar
12.Conn, HO. Trailmaking and number connection tests in the assessment of mental state in portal systemic encephalopathy. Am J Dig Dis 1977; 22: 541–50.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
13.Rikkers, L, Jenko, P, Rudman, D, Freides, D. Subclinical hepatic encephalopathy: detection, prevalence and relationship to nitrogen metabolism. Gastroenterology 1979; 75: 462–9.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
14.Schomerus, H, Hamster, W, Blank, H. Latent porto-systemic encephalopathy I. Nature of cerebral functional defects and their effects on fitness to drive. Dig Dis and Sci 1981; 26: 622–30.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
15.Yen, C-T, Liaw, Y-F. Somatosensory evoked potentials and number connection test in the detection of subclinical hepatic encephalopathy. Hepato-gastroenterol 1990; 37: 332–4.Google ScholarPubMed
16.Reitan, RM. Validity of trailmaking tests is an indicator of organic brain damage. Percept Mot Skills 1958, 8, 271–2.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
17.Conn, HO, Leevy, ZB, Vlahcevic, ZR, Rodgers, WC, Maddray, C, Seef, C, et al.Comparison of lactulose and enomycin in the treatment of chronic portal systemic encephalopathy. Gastroenterology 1977; 72: 573–83.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
18.Fung, WP, Khoo, T. Treatment of hepatic encephalopathy with lactulose. Med J Aus 1968; 21: 160–4.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
19.Loguercio, C, Del Vecchio-Blanco, C, Coltorti, M. Psychometric tests and latent portosystemic encephalopathy. Brit J Clin Pract 1984; 37: 407–11.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
20.Christenson, SE, Vilstrup, H. Continuous reaction time and number connection tests in 94 non-encephalopathic patients. II Int. Congress in Toxicology, Brussels 1980; 34.Google Scholar
21.Tarter, RE, Hegedus, AM, Van Thiel, D, Schade, RR, Gaveler, JS, Starzl, TE. Non-alcoholic cirrhosis associated with neuropsychological dysfunction in the absence of overt evidence of hepatic encephalopathy. Gastroenterology 1984; 86: 1421–7.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
22.Elsass, P, Se, Christensen, Ranek, L, Theilgaard, A, Tygstrup, N. Continuous reaction time in patients with hepatic encephalopathy. Scand J Gastroenterol 1981; 16: 441–7.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
23.Smith, H, Smith, L. WAIS functioning in cirrhotics and non-cirrhotic alcoholics. J Clin Psychol 1977; 33: 309–13.3.0.CO;2-N>CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
24.Rehnstrom, S, Simert, G, Hansson, J, Johnson, G, Vang, J. Chronic hepatic encephalopathy: a psychometrical study. Scand J Gastroenterol 1977; 12: 305–11.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
25.Gilberstadt, S, Gilberstadt, H, Zieve, L, Buegel, B, Collier, RO Jr, McClain, CJ. Psychomotor performance deficits in cirrhotic patients with overt encephalopathy. Ann Intern Med 1980; 140: 519–21.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
26.Davies, MG, Rowan, MJ, MacMathuna, P, Keeling, PWN, Weir, DG, Feely, J. The auditory P300 event related potential: an objective marker of the encephalopathy of chronic liver disease. Hepatology 1990; 12: 688–94.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
27.Davies, MG, Rowan, MJ, Feely, J. Flash visual evoked responses in the early encephalopathy of chronic liver disease. Scand J Gastroenterol 1990; 25.Google ScholarPubMed