Multidimensional assessment of neuro-psychiatric symptoms in patients with low-grade hepatic encephalopathy: a clinical rating scale.

Aim: To evaluate the feasibility of a new clinical rating scale for a standardized assessment of cirrhosis-associated neuro-psychiatric symptoms.

Methods: Forty patients with liver cirrhosis (LC, with or without low-grade hepatic encephalopathy) were invest-igated using a clinical neuro-psychiatric rating scale based on a comprehensive list of neurological, psychomotor, cognitive, affective, behavioral symptoms, and symptoms of disturbed bioregulation.

Results: The analysis revealed that the majority of cirrhotic patients showed, besides characteristic neurological symptoms of hepatic encephalopathy, various psychomotor, affective and bioregulatory symptoms (disturbed sleep and sexual dysfunction).