ABSTRACT
Objective To assess the application of Stroop color-word test ( SCWT) for screening of minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) in patients with liver cirrhosis.Methods Sixty patients aged 18-65 years with liver cirrhosis and 60 age, education level-matched healthy subjects were examined with SCWT.The SCWT indexes were compared between two groups .MHE was identified when patients had abnormal number connection test-A (NCT-A) and/or digit symbol test (DST).Results Time consuming and errors of card 2, 3, 4 and Stroop interference effects ( SIE) reflecting word-interference and color-interference in SCWT were increased significantly in liver cirrhotic patients [(17.28 ±0.69)sec,(12.96 ± 1.10)sec, (30.30 ±1.40)sec, (5.00 ±0.90)sec, (13.74 ±1.22)sec, (0.36 ±0.10) times, (0.50 ± 0.11) times, (0.50 ±0.11) times, (5.00 ±0.90) times,(1.98 ±0.23) times, respectively] compared to those in healthy subjects [(10.18 ±0.57) sec,(7.68 ±0.39)sec,(15.68 ±0.33)sec,(1.94 ±0.37) sec, (6.56 ±0.70)sec, (0.02 ±0.02) times,(0.10 ±0.04)times,(0.10 ±0.04)times,(0.04 ±0.02) times,(0.20 ±0.08) times, respectively; t =12.95, 6.98, 8.19, 7.02, 11.91, 10.09, 8.97,8.15, 17.94,11.37,all P=0.00];while there were no significant differences in time consuming and errors of card 1 between liver cirrhotic patients [ ( 7.10 ±0.40 ) sec and ( 0.04 ±0.03 ) times ] and healthy subjects [(6.72 ±0.36)sec and (0.02 ±0.02) times; t=1.89, 1.91, both P=0.06].The sensitivity of word SIE, color SIE and word SIE +color SIE of SCWT for primary screening of MHE was 0.83(50/60), 0.88 (53/60) and 0.98(59/60) respectively, whereas the specificity was 0.87(52/60), 0.80(48/60) and 0.83(50/60) respectively.ConclusionThe SCWT may serve as a convenient , effective and reliable tool for primary screening MHE.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:Related medical researches have shown that the incidence of simple diastolic heart failure is higher than that of systolic heart failure. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the application value of echocardiography in the monitoring of rabbit models of simple diastolic heart failure. METHODS: Sixty healthy male New Zealand rabbits were included in this study. The pressure overload hypertrophy rabbit model was established by the method of abdominal aortic coarctation. Rabbits were randomly divided into surgical group and sham group. Al rabbits were subjected to the echocardiography and left heart catheterization, the left ventricular end-diastolic pressure and relaxation time constants were measured to judge the presence of simple diastolic heart failure. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Compared with the sham group, the aortic annular diameter was significantly reduced before surgery and at 1, 4, 8 weeks after surgery in the model group (P < 0.05); the peak of retrograde velocity at atrial contraction was decreased in the model rabbits at 8 weeks after surgery (P< 0.05); the left ventricle dry weight, ratio of left ventricle dry weight/body weight, left ventricular posterior wal thickness, systolic pressure, interventricular septum, left ventricle systolic pressure, and left ventricular end-diastolic pressure were obviously increased at 8 weeks after surgery (P < 0.05). Experimental findings indicate that rabbit models of simple diastolic heart failure are successfuly established, and echocardiography can effectively monitor the left ventricular systolic and diastolic functions in cardiac hypertrophy.