Cognitive event-related potential in hepatic encephalopathy.

A study of auditory P300 was performed on 24 patients with cirrhosis of the liver: 13 patients with hepatic encephalopathy (HE grade 1-2) and 11 patients without clinical encephalopathy (HE grade 0). The patients were also assessed using spontaneous EEG and neuropsychological methods: Mini Mental State, Digit Span and Number Connection Test. The P3 latency was found to be significantly increased in all patients (100%) with HE grade 1-2 and in 6 patients (54.5%) with HE grade 0. The clinical value of using the P300 latency in the hepatic encephalopathy is subsequently discussed.