Background and aim: Gold standard for diagnosis of minimal encephalopathy is psychometric tests (PHES) and critical flicker frequency (Flicker) is an adjunct method. The aim of this study is to determine the normal values of PHES and Flicker in a population without chronic liver disease and to identify risk factors to obtain abnormal values.
Material and methods: Study carried out in Tlapa, Guerrero between 2017 and 2018. Subjects older than 18 years were included. Liver disease was ruled out by fibroscan®, examination and screening for hepatitis C. Illiterate patients, visual or motor impairment, dementia, cognitive impairment or liver diseases were excluded. Sociodemographic data were collected; PHES and Flicker were applied to participants.
Student's T-test was used for continuous variables and Fisher's exact test for categorical variables. Results are expressed with measures of central tendency and dispersion. A univariate and multivariate analysis was performed to identify risk factors for presenting abnormal values. A value of P<0.05 was considered.
Results: 96 subjects were included, 63% female, BMI of 28.3±4.6kg/m2, aged 42±12 years and schooling of 10±3 years, 73% worked outside the office. Fibroscan® was performed in 43 participants, none presented fibrosis.
26 abnormal values were obtained with PHES and 11 with Flicker; Identifying 3 false positives for MHE. Occupation and schooling were associated with abnormal values in the PHES; No independent risk factors were identified in the multivariate analysis. No risk factors were identified for the Flicker.
Conclusions: Performing a single test leads to diagnostic errors, which is reduced by using both tests.
Conflicts of interest: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.
