Assessment of health-related quality of life in Chinese patients with minimal hepatic encephalopathy

AIM:To evaluate the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) based on the Chinese version of SF-36 and Chronic Liver Disease Questionnaire (CLDQ) in subjects with chronic hepatitis B,liver cirrhosis,including patients with minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE). METHODS:The SF-36 and CLDQ were administered to 160 healthy volunteers,20 subjects with chronic hepatitis B and 106 patients with cirrhosis (33 cases exhibited MHE). HRQOL scores were compared among the different study groups. The SF-36 includes eight health concepts:physical functioning,role-physical,body pain,general health,vitality,social functioning,role-emotion,and mental health. Six domains of CLDQ were assessed:abdominal symptoms,fatigue,systemic symptoms,activity,emotional function and worry. RESULTS:Compared with healthy controls (96.9 ± 4.5,86.6 ± 18.4,90.1 ± 12.5,89.0 ± 5.7,87.5 ± 4.3,95.8 ± 7.1,88.5 ± 15.9,88.7 ± 5.2 in SF-36 and 6.7 ± 0.5,6.1 ± 0.6,6.3 ± 0.6,6.5 ± 0.5,6.3 ± 0.5,6.8 ± 0.4 in CLDQ),patients with chronic hepatitis B (86.3 ± 11.0,68.8 ± 21.3,78.9 ± 14.4,60.8 ± 10.5,70.8 ± 8.6,76.1 ± 12.6,50.0 ± 22.9,72.2 ± 10.6 and 5.5 ± 1.0,4.5 ± 1.0,5.2 ± 1.1,5.3 ± 0.9,4.8 ± 0.9,4.9 ± 1.0) and cirrhosis (52.8 ± 17.4,32.8 ± 27.9,61.6 ± 18.9,30.2 ± 18.3,47.9 ± 20.1,54.0 ± 19.2,28.9 ± 26.1,51.1 ± 17.8 and 4.7 ± 1.2,3.9 ± 1.2,4.7 ± 1.2,4.7 ± 1.3,4.7 ± 1.0,4.4 ± 1.1) had lower HRQOL on all scales of the SF-36 and CLDQ (P < 0.01 for all). Increasing severity of liver cirrhosis (based on the Child-Pugh score/presence or absence of MHE) was associated with a decrease in most components of SF-36 and CLDQ,especially SF-36.CONCLUSION:The Chinese version of SF-36 along with CLDQ is a valid and reliable method for testing MHE in patients with liver cirrhosis. Cirrhosis and MHE are associated with decreased HRQOL.

Effect of posture on ^(13)C-urea breath test in partial gastrectomy patients

AIM: To investigate whether posture affects the accuracy of 13C-urea breath test(13C-UBT) for Helicobacter pylori(H. pylori) detection in partial gastrectomy patients. METHODS: We studied 156 consecutive residual stomach patients, including 76 with H. pylori infection(infection group) and 80 without H. pylori infection(control group). H. pylori infection was confirmed if both the rapid urease test and histology were positive during gastroscopy. The two groups were divided into four subgroups according to patients' posture during the 13C-UBT: subgroup A, sitting position; subgroup B, supine position; subgroup C, right lateral recumbent position; and subgroup D, left lateral recumbent position. Each subject underwent the following modified 13C-UBT: 75 mg of 13C-urea(powder) in 100 m L of citric acid solution was administered, and a mouth wash was performed immediately; breath samples were then collected at baseline and at 5-min intervals up to 30 min while the position was maintained. Seven breathsamples were collected for each subject. The cutoff value was 2.0‰.RESULTS: The mean delta over baseline(DOB) values in the subgroups of the infection group were similar at 5 min(P > 0.05) and significantly higher than those in the corresponding control subgroups at all time points(P < 0.01). In the infection group, the mean DOB values in subgroup A were higher than those in other subgroups within 10 min and peaked at the 10-min point(12.4‰± 2.4‰). The values in subgroups B and C both reached their peaks at 15 min(B, 13.9‰± 1.5‰; C, 12.2‰± 1.7‰) and then decreased gradually until the 30-min point. In subgroup D, the value peaked at 20 min(14.7‰± 1.7‰). Significant differences were found between the values in subgroups D and B at both 25 min(t = 2.093, P = 0.043) and 30 min(t = 2.141, P = 0.039). At 30 min, the value in subgroup D was also significantly different from those in subgroups A and C(D vs C: t = 6.325, P = 0.000; D vs A: t = 5.912, P = 0.000). The mean DOB values of subjects with Billroth Ⅰ anastomosis were higher than those of subjects with Billroth Ⅱ anastomosis irrespectively of the detection time and posture(P > 0.05).CONCLUSION: Utilization of the left lateral recumbent position during the procedure and when collecting the last breath sample may improve the diagnostic accuracy of the 13C-UBT in partial gastrectomy patients.