Rifaximin versus metronidazole in management of acute episode of hepatic encephalopathy: An open labeled randomized clinical trial.

Background And Study Aims: Many regimens are tried in managing overt hepatic encephalopathy (HE). We investigated the efficacy of rifaximin versus metronidazole in management of an acute episode of HE on top of cirrhosis.

Patients And Methods: An open label prospective controlled trial was conducted on patients with an acute episode of HE on top of cirrhosis who were randomly divided into metronidazole-group (M-group) and rifaximin-group (R-group) with 60 patients in each.

Hepatitis C in a community in Upper Egypt: I. Cross-sectional survey.

The prevalence of antibody to hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV) was determined in a cross-sectional survey in a village in Upper Egypt. Exposure and demographic characteristics were obtained through a questionnaire. Antibody to hepatitis C virus was assessed using a second generation enzyme immunoassay, and the presence of HCV RNA was tested using a reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction.

Ultrasound-detected hepatic periportal thickening in patients with prolonged pyrexia.

Hepatic periportal thickening (HPT) detected by ultrasonography has been established as a reliable tool for measuring hepatic morbidity due to schistosomiasis. During ultrasonographic examination of patients with prolonged pyrexia, we frequently noticed minimal grades of HPT in patients without a history of schistosomiasis. This led to ultrasonographic studies of conditions other than schistosomiasis in which HPT may occur.