Correlation between interleukin-6 and ammonia in patients with overt hepatic encephalopathy due to cirrhosis.

Objective: Previous studies have shown that elevated serum levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) correlate with the severity of overt hepatic encephalopathy (OHE) in cirrhotic patients. However, the correlation between serum IL-6 levels and plasma ammonia levels in these patients remains unclear. Therefore, the present study investigated this correlation between both variables in cirrhotic patients with OHE.

Relationship between interleukin-6 and ammonia in patients with minimal hepatic encephalopathy due to liver cirrhosis.

Aim:   Previous studies have shown significantly elevated levels of interleukin (IL)-6 in cirrhotic patients with minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE), but the relationship between circulating levels of IL-6 and ammonia is unclear. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between both variables in cirrhotic patients with MHE.

Methods:   Psychometric tests including number connection test part A (NCT-A) and digit symbol test (DST) were performed to diagnose MHE in 85 cirrhotic patients.