Early detection of hepatic encephalopathy by recording visual evoked potential (VEP)

The visual evoked potential (VEP) record in response to a pattern stimulus is a non invasive and reliable method of detecting central and peripheral nerve system abnormalities. VEP recording have been used in animals with fulminant hepatic failure, and also in-patients with hepatic encephalopathy and acute severe hepatitis. Our aims were: a. to evaluate the potency of PVEP in assessing hepatic encephalopathy. b. to find the rate of pathologic PVEP in patients with advanced liver cirrhosis. VEP was recorded in 14 chronic liver cirrhotic patients (6 alcoholic, 6 HCV-related, 2 cryptogenic) and 14 controls. Patients with any neurologic abnormalities were excluded from the study. All patients were subjected to the Mental State Score (MSS) test, and venous blood ammonia was measured on the same day of VEP recording. In 10/14 (71%) patients some VEP recording abnormality was detected. In the cirrhotic patients, P100 latency was significantly longer (P < 0.05) than in controls. Low amplitude was observed in 8 patients compared to controls. Marked increase of N75 (3 patients) and marked increase of N145 (2 patients) were observed. Mean blood ammonia and MSS score were normal in all patients. No correlation was found between both MSS score and blood ammonia levels and the P100 delay. Five out of 10 patients with pathologic VEP developed hepatic encephalpathy during a follow-up of one year, compared to one out of 4 patients with no pathology on VEP recording. VEP recording may be a valuable tool in assessing patients with early hepatic encephalopathy and in predicting encephalopathy.