Demographic, clinical, neuropsychological and EEG variables by group. No significant differences were observed between groups A and B in any of these variables
| Group A (n=20) | Group B (n=19) | |
| Males (%) | 14 (70.0) | 17 (89.4) |
| Age (years) | 64.1±8.8 | 59.4±9.2 |
| Pugh’s score | 7.1±1.3 | 7.1±2.0 |
| Child (%) | ||
| A | 35 | 39 |
| B | 65 | 50 |
| C | 0 | 11 |
| MELD score | 12.7±3.5 | 12.3±3.9 |
| Overt HE* (%) | 15 | 15.8 |
| Aetiology (n (%)) | ||
| Alcohol | 9 (45) | 5 (26) |
| Viral | 8 (40) | 6 (31) |
| Mixed | 2 (10) | 4 (21) |
| Other | 1 (5) | 4 (21) |
| Neuropsychological indices | ||
| MPZS | −0.5±0.7 | −0.6±1.1 |
| PHES-z | −1.7±2.3 | −2.6±4.1 |
| Abnormal PHES (n (%)) | 4 (21)† | 6 (31.5) |
| Sternberg reaction time (ms) | 1713±307 | 1728±472 |
| Sternberg accuracy (%) | 75±23 | 70±17 |
| Sternberg z-score | −1.9±1.4 | −2.1±1.2 |
| Spectral EEG | ||
| MDF (Hz) | 9±1 | 9±2 |
| Delta (%) | 8±5 | 11±12 |
| Theta (%) | 36±19 | 41±16 |
| Alfa (%) | 38±16 | 30±14 |
| Beta (%) | 18±9 | 17±10 |
*Overt HE was graded according to the West Haven criteria (reference 10).
†PHES was not available for one patient.
EEG, electroencephalogram; HE, hepatic encephalopathy; MDF, mean dominant frequency; MELD, Model for End-stage Liver Disease; MPZS, mean psychometric z-score; PHES, Psychometric Hepatic Encephalopathy Score.