Author information

¹Department of Internal Medicine, Viborg Regional Hospital, Viborg, Denmark. michsoer@rm.dk.

²Department of Hepatology & Gastroenterology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark. michsoer@rm.dk.

³Department of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Institute for Regional Health Research, University Hospital of Southern Denmark, Esbjerg, Denmark.

⁴Department of Medicine (DIMED), University of Padova, Padova, Italy.

⁵Chronobiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK.

Abstract

Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a brain dysfunction caused by liver insufficiency with symptoms ranging from slight cognitive changes detectable only by neuropsychiatric testing to coma. Up to 60% of patients with cirrhosis have mild forms of HE and 35% will at some point experience overt HE. Even in its milder forms, HE impacts the patient's daily routines, self-sufficiency, quality of life, and, thereby, socio-economic status. HE is a condition affecting the whole household including formal and informal caregivers, who carry a heavy burden. Early identification, prophylaxis, and treatment of HE are essential for relieving patients and informal caregivers.