title: Hepatic encephalopathy in Saudi Arabia: retrospective analysis of 51 patients.
abstract: The clinical features, prognostic factors, and outcome of 51 patients with hepatic encephalopathy (HE), were retrospectively reviewed. The mean (+/- SD) age of patients was 47.2 (+/- 14.8) years. Seventy-five percent of patients were males and 73% were Saudi. All identified episodes of hepatic encephalopathy were associated with chronic underlying liver disease and no episode occurred as a result of acute fulminant hepatic failure. Most patients presented in advanced stage of hepatic dysfunction and had one or more precipitating factors. In-hospital mortality rate was 41% (21 out of 51 patients). Gastrointestinal tract bleeding, electrolytes imbalance and alkalosis were associated with significantly higher mortality rate. However, unadjusted analysis failed to identify certain base-line independent prognostic factors.
authors.affiliation: College of Medicine and Medical Sciences, King Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Y M
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: al-Gindan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003906:Developing Countries; D005260:Female; D006501:Hepatic Encephalopathy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D008109:Liver Diseases, Parasitic / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000453:epidemiology; D012552:Schistosomiasis / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology