RESUMEN
Objective: To determine frequency of Minimal Hepatic Encephalopathy in illiterate patients with compensated cirrhosis
Methods: Illiterate patients with compensated cirrhosis with F4 Score on Shear-wave Elastography were selected for study after informed consent. Sample size was estimated at 106. Selected patients were subjected to two tests for detection of MHE, Number Connection Test A and Block Design Test. Patients taking ? 30 seconds were labelled as Positive for MHE
Result: Out of 110 selected patients 10.9% were alcoholics and in 8.2% of patients no hepatic virus infection was detected. HCV was positive in 48.2% patients while HBV was positive in 13.6% of patients. MHE was detected in 72 [65.5%] of patients. Major differences were found in MHE Stage II and III by two tests. Over all BDT detected more cases and gave higher Staging in Stage II and III as compared to NCT-A test
Conclusion: Minimal Hepatic Encephalopathy [MHE] could be detected in illiterate patients using NCT-A and BDT Tests