Publication:

The role of oxidants and antioxidative parameters in patients with hepatic encephalopathy

Background Hepatic encephalopathy is a serious neuropsychiatric complication of cirrhosis. Changes in the oxidative and anti-oxidative system and nitric oxide levels in brain tissue contribute to the development of symptoms related to HE and HE. Purpose of the study to reveal the alterations in oxidative, anti-oxidative system and nitric oxide levels in cirrhotic patients during and after hepatic encephalopathy periods.

Methods This was a randomized controlled double-blind study conducted in Erciyes University Hospital between 3 July 2010 and 30 March 2011. We investigated the oxidative and anti-oxidative stress parameters by quantification of total antioxidant capacity (TAC), total oxidant capacity (TOC), nitric oxide (NO), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), superoxide dismutase (SOD), total thiol and xanthine oxidase (XO) levels in serum. We compared the group of patients with hepatic encephalopathy, post-hepatic encephalopathy (clinically recovered) and control groups (healthy control).

Results Thirty hepatic encephalopathy patients were studied. Serum levels of nitric oxide and xanthine oxidase were statistically significantly high in the hepatic encephalopathy group according to control group (p 0.05). Total antioxidant capacity and especially xanthine oxidase levels were significantly decreased in recovered clinically from hepatic encephalopathy group compared to hepatic encephalopathy group (p<0.05, p<0.001, respectively).

Conclusions Oxidative system, in   systemic circulation, is activated during hepatic encephalopathy and changes in XO level during and after hepatic encephalopathy is very different. This parameter may be a potential marker in differential diagnosis of hepatic encephalopathy from other coma causes. Further investigation is needed.