Minimal hepatic encephalopathy: Simplifying its diagnosis

Abstract

Minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) is relatively common and has a significant effect on the quality of life in patients with cirrhosis. However, diagnosing this entity clinically can be quite challenging. Inhibitory control testing (ICT) as a screening tool for diagnosis of MHE has been used clinically for sometime. The study published in this issue to validate ICT as a screening modality for MHE suggests it is a relatively simply, reliable test and can be easily administered by ancillary staff in the clinic. The study demonstrates that ICT has the potential to become a popular diagnostic tool for the diagnosis of MHE. A multicenter study to further validate the system for wider use will further strengthen the argument for its use in every patient with cirrhosis. © 2007 by Am. Coll. of Gastroenterology.