Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Nonabsorbable disaccharides for hepatic encephalopathy.

B Als-Nielsen1, L L Gluud, C Gluud

  • 1Cochrane Hepato-Biliary Group, Copenhagen Trial Unit, Centre for Clinical Intervention Research, Copenhagen University Hospital, Department 7102, H:S Rigshospitalet, Blegdamsvej 9, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.

The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
|April 24, 2004
PubMed
Summary

Nonabsorbable disaccharides like lactulose are not proven effective for hepatic encephalopathy. High-quality studies show no benefit, and antibiotics may be superior for improving this condition.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Editorial: Dysfunctional Neutrophils in Cirrhosis With Acute Decompensation: Why It Matters.

Alimentary pharmacology & therapeutics·2025
Same author

The risks of adverse events with venlafaxine for adults with major depressive disorder: a systematic review of randomised clinical trials with meta-analysis and Trial Sequential Analysis.

Epidemiology and psychiatric sciences·2024
Same author

Assessment of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease in patients with hidradenitis suppurativa: A cross-sectional study.

Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology : JEADV·2024
Same author

Tramadol for chronic pain in adults: protocol for a systematic review with meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis of randomised clinical trials.

Systematic reviews·2023
Same author

Umbilical hernia repair in patients with cirrhosis: systematic review of mortality and complications.

Hernia : the journal of hernias and abdominal wall surgery·2022
Same author

Effect of metformin and insulin vs. placebo and insulin on whole body composition in overweight patients with type 2 diabetes: a randomized placebo-controlled trial.

Osteoporosis international : a journal established as result of cooperation between the European Foundation for Osteoporosis and the National Osteoporosis Foundation of the USA·2021

Area of Science:

  • Hepatology
  • Gastroenterology
  • Clinical Pharmacology

Background:

  • Nonabsorbable disaccharides, including lactulose and lactitol, are standard treatments for hepatic encephalopathy.
  • Hepatic encephalopathy is a serious complication of liver disease.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the efficacy and safety of nonabsorbable disaccharides in treating hepatic encephalopathy.
  • To compare lactulose and lactitol with placebo, no intervention, or antibiotics.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
  • Searched multiple databases including Cochrane, MEDLINE, and EMBASE up to March 2003.
  • Included trials comparing nonabsorbable disaccharides to placebo, no intervention, antibiotics, or each other.

Related Experiment Videos

Main Results:

  • Nonabsorbable disaccharides showed no significant effect on mortality compared to placebo.
  • A reduced risk of "no improvement" was observed, but likely due to low study quality.
  • High-quality trials found no significant effect of nonabsorbable disaccharides on improvement.
  • Antibiotics appeared superior to nonabsorbable disaccharides in improving hepatic encephalopathy.

Conclusions:

  • There is insufficient high-quality evidence to support the use of nonabsorbable disaccharides for hepatic encephalopathy.
  • Antibiotics may be more effective than nonabsorbable disaccharides, though clinical significance is unclear.
  • Nonabsorbable disaccharides should not be used as a comparator in future hepatic encephalopathy trials.