Feasibility of Critical Flicker Frequency Procedure for the Diagnosis of Minimal Encephalopathy

A Pilot Study Aiming to Assess the Feasibility of Critical Flicker Frequency for the Diagnosis of Minimal Encephalopathy in Patients With Cirrhosis

All patients eligible for TIPS (Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt) procedure will be considered for inclusion. After written inform consent, psychometric tests in order to calculate the psychometric hepatic encephalopathy (PHES) score, the gold standard for the diagnosis of minimal encephalopathy and critical flicker frequency (CFF) will be performed before the TIPS procedure. After TIPS, patients will be followed during one year and the psychometric test and CFF will be performed every 3 months. 30 patients will be included. The main endpoint is the success rate of CFF. The secondary end points are Correlation between CFF and PHES score Performance of CFF and PHES score to predict the occurrence of overt encephalopathy after TIPS procedure A sample collection during TIPS procedure is also performed for validation of biomarkers

After TIPS, patients will be followed during one year and the psychometric test and Critical flicker frequency procedure will be performed every 3 months

Inclusion Criteria: patients with cirrhosis in whom a TIPS is indicated patients have given their informed consent te be included Exclusion Criteria: minor pregnant women patients who cannot see the red color refusal to participate

Berlioux P, Robic MA, Poirson H, Metivier S, Otal P, Barret C, Lopez F, Peron JM, Vinel JP, Bureau C. Pre-transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts (TIPS) prediction of post-TIPS overt hepatic encephalopathy: the critical flicker frequency is more accurate than psychometric tests. Hepatology. 2014 Feb;59(2):622-9. doi: 10.1002/hep.26684.