Table 1 Baseline characteristics of the study population.
From: Metabolic syndrome is associated with poor response to rifaximin in minimal hepatic encephalopathy
Parameters | Controls (n = 30) | No MHE (n = 31) | MHE (n = 32) | p value (MHE vs. no MHE) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Clinical factors | ||||
Age (y), mean (SEM) | 59 (1) | 61 (1) | 62 (2) | 0.499 |
Sex: male, n (%) | 18 (60) | 25 (81) | 27 (84)* | 0.697 |
Metabolic manifestations, n (%) | ||||
Metabolic syndrome | 3 (19) | 4 (13) | 6 (19) | 0.508 |
Obesity | 5 (36) | 9 (53) | 7 (44) | 0.598 |
Hypertension | 6 (38) | 10 (32) | 10 (31) | 0.929 |
Diabetes | 1 (6) | 10 (32) | 17 (53)** | 0.073 |
Dyslipidemia | 13 (81) | 10 (32)** | 10 (31)** | 0.929 |
Comorbidities, n (%) | ||||
Heart disease | 2 (13) | 3 (8) | 2 (6) | 1.000 |
Lung disease | 0 (0) | 5 (16) | 5 (16) | 1.000 |
Chronic kidney disease | 1 (7) | 0 (0) | 2 (6) | – |
Age at diagnosis of cirrhosis (y), mean (SEM) | – | 56 (2.3) | 50 (4.8) | 0.327 |
Etiology of cirrhosis, n (%) | – | |||
Alcohol | 16 (52) | 17 (53) | 0.904 | |
Hepatitis C virus | 13 (42) | 5 (16) | 0.021 | |
NAFLD | 1 (3) | 5 (16) | 0.196 | |
Other^ | 1 (3) | 5 (16) | 0.196 | |
Other treatments, n (%) | – | |||
Proton-pump inhibitor | 13 (42) | 13 (41) | 1.000 | |
Metformin | 5 (16) | 9 (28) | 0.198 | |
Benzodiazepine | 6 (19) | 5 (16) | 0.785 | |
Nonselective beta-blocker | 9 (29) | 7 (22) | 0.613 | |
Furosemide | 4 (13) | 11 (36) | 0.031 | |
Spironolactone | 6 (19) | 14 (47) | 0.023 | |
Norfloxacin | 1 (3) | 4 (13) | 0.195 | |
Lactulose | 4 (13) | 4 (13) | 1.000 | |
Portal hypertension, n (%) | – | 27 (96) | 29 (91) | 0.616 |
Child–Pugh, n (%) | – | 0.502 | ||
A | 23 (74) | 19 (59) | 0.490 | |
B | 7 (23) | 11 (34) | 0.300 | |
C | 1 (3) | 2 (6) | 0.573 | |
MELD score, mean (SEM) | – | 9 (1) | 10 (1) | 0.509 |
Decompensated cirrhosis, n (%) | – | 9 (29) | 21 (66) | 0.002 |
Portal thrombosis, n (%) | – | 3 (10) | 3 (9) | 1.000 |
