[Normality tables in the Spanish population for psychometric tests used in the diagnosis of minimal hepatic encephalopathy].
OBJECTIVE
Minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) induces an impairment in the quality of life and has been found as the first stage in hepatic encephalopathy syndrome. Psychometric Hepatic Encephalopathy Score (PHES) is a psychometric test battery widely utilized in the diagnosis of MHE which requires correction by age and education.


METHODS
Eight-hundred and eighty four healthy people were included. Trailmaking test-A (TMT-A), TMT-B, digit symbol test (DST), serial dotting (SDT) and line drawing test (LDT) were performed. Age, education, gender, alcohol consumption and hospitalization were recorded. T-student and Pearson correlation were utilized in univariate analyses. A multiple linear regression was performed to detect independent variables associated with psychometric test score. Using the equation from the multiple linear regression, normality tables were built.


RESULTS
Age and education were associated with all 5 tests. An alcohol consumption higher than 10 g per day was associated with a lower score in DST and SDT. A gender influence was seen in TMT-A and TMT-B. Moreover, some differences were found in SDT, TMT-B and LDT according to hospital procedence. In multivariate analyses using multiple linear regression, age and education were independently associated with all five tests.


CONCLUSIONS
Normality tables of the PHES allow investigating MHE in cirrhotics avoiding local control groups. Taking in mind normality tables, PHES could become a gold standard test to analyze further diagnostic methods and to evaluate drugs efficacy in MHE. Normality tables are freely available at http://www.redEH.org.
Romero Gómez
Manuel
M
Unidad de Gestión Clínica de Enfermedades Digestivas, Hospital Universitario de Valme, Sevilla, Spain. mromerog@supercable.es
Córdoba
Juan
J
Jover
Rodrigo
R
del Olmo
Juan
J
Fernández
Ana
A
Flavià
Montse
M
Compañy
Luis
L
Poveda
María José
MJ
Felipo
Vicente
V
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006501:Hepatic Encephalopathy / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011594:Psychometrics; D012016:Reference Values; D013030:Spain