ABSTRACT
Visual evoked potential recording were examined in 40 patients with compensated and decompensated liver with [n = 14] and without [n = 26] clinically apparent encephalopathy, in addition to 10 normal healthy controls. The patients and controls were subjected to assessment of liver function, serum ammonia and abdominal ultrasound and Doppler examination. Visual evoked potential parameters were classified on the basis of EEG recordings. Latencies and wave patterns recorded after flash stimulation detected the degrees of encephalopathy in accordance with EEG findings in 14 patients with encephalopathy. In 26 patients without clinical evidence of encephalopathy, the visual potential recordings discriminated a group of patients [n = 10] in a preclinical stage of encephalopathy. Biochemical parameters and subsequent clinical observation confirmed the diagnosis of subclinical encephalopathy. These results suggested that visual evoked potentials are simple, suitable and objective method for identifying subclinical stage of encephalopathy