[Electroencephalography and cerebrospinal fluid glutamine in portal-systemic encephalopathies]

A group of patients with portal-systemic encephalopathy were studied. The conscious disturbances, eletroencephalographic findings and the spinal fluid glutamine levels were analyzed. Based on the results the authors concluded that the eletrencephalogram can be utilized for determination of the degree of hepatic coma and also for its prognostic valuation. In addition they found that monitorization of spinal fluid glutamine levels is the most important test for characterization of the degree of hepatic encephalopathy.