Background and study aim: Calprotectin is a cytoplasmatic protein of
neutrophilic granulocytes and it is an
established marker for the assessment of
localized intestinal inflammation
.Bacterial translocation is known to play an
important role in the pathogenesis of
certain complications of cirrhosis such as
hepatic encephalopathy (HE). This study
amid to assess: the value of fecal
calprotectin in the diagnosis of hepatic
encephalopathy, relationship between
level of fecal calprotectin and the degree
of hepatic encephalopathy.
Patients and Methods: This cross sectional
study was conducted on 90 patients
attended to the Hepatology, Gastroenterology
and Infectious Diseases Department of
Benha University Hospital between March
and July 2016. All medical diseases which
are known to influence the level of fecal
calprotectin were excluded (as: gastrointestinal bleeding or inflmmatory bowel
disease). The degree of liver insufficiency
was assessed according to the Child Pugh
classifiation and Model of End Stage
Liver Disease (MELD); and degree of
hepatic encephalopathy by West-Haven
criteria, and the number connection test.
Results: The mean value of fecal calprotectin
in patients with overt HE was 304.4 ±
41.05 μg/g, and in patients with MHE was
74.4 ± 23.9 μg/g and in the group of liver
cirrhosis without encephalopathy was 57.55±
8.92 and in healthy group was 25.22 ± 8.63,
respectively with high significant difference
(p |
