Rifaximin discontinuation during broad-spectrum antibiotic treatment in critically ill patients with hepatic encephalopathy.

Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is one of the main complications of cirrhosis, characterized by a wide spectrum of neuropsychiatric alterations that lead to an increase in mortality, morbidity and recurrent hospitalizations. Due to the central role in HE pathogenesis of ammonia and other neurotoxins primarily produced by the gut microbiota, the main therapeutic approaches for the treatment of HE are based on the modulation of the gut microbiota. Rifaximin is a non-absorbable broad-spectrum antibiotic, that is effective against ammonia-producing gram-positive, gram-negative, and anaerobic species, approved for the treatment of HE in secondary prophylaxis.