FREQUENCY OF DIFFERENT INFECTIONS IN PATIENTS WITH HEPATIC ENCEPHALOPATHY DUE TO CIRRHOSIS LIVER

Infections in Hepatic Encephalopathy

Abstract

Objective: To determine frequency of different infections in patients with hepatic encephalopathy due to cirrhosis liver.
Study Design: Cross sectional descriptive study.
Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted in the Department of Medicine, Combined Military Hospital, Peshawar over six months from April to October 2013.
Patients and Methods: All patients with cirrhosis of liver of more than 18 years of age, manifesting signs of hepatic encephalopathy (HE) were included in the study. Detailed history, clinical examination and thorough investigations were done to look for different infections and the findings were recorded on a proforma. Descriptive statistics were used for data analysis.
Results: One hundred and eighty five patients (70.81% males and 29.19% females) were enrolled. The mean age of the study subject was 49.2 ± 3 years. Frequency of infections in the studied population was, spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (31.94 %), UTI (25.00 %), pneumonia (20.83 %), sepsis (8.33%) and others infections (13.90%) like cholangitis, bronchitis, endocarditis, meningitis, and gastroenteritis.
Conclusions: This study concluded that a substantial number of patients with hepatic encephalopathy due to cirrhosis liver have infections.