Role of Helicobacter pylori and hyperammonemia in subclinical hepatic encephalopathy in cirrhosis of liver.

In a prospective study of 47 patients of subclinical hepatic encephalopathy in cirrhosis of liver, aged between 23 and 60 years, 49% showed Helicobacter pylori positivity by rapid urease test. The baseline characters of patients (mean age, serum creatinine, sereum albumin, serum bilirubin, prothrombin time) were similar among patients with and without Helicobacter infection in all the patients. There was no statistically significant difference in blood ammonia levels in either group of patients. Blood ammonia values showed good correlation with the functional state of liver function but they did not show statistically significant difference between two groups of patients in any of Child Pugh classes. It is concluded that Helicobacter pylori does not contribute significantly to blood ammonia levels and the severity of hepatic encephalopathy.