EVALUATION OF EFFICACY OF RIFAXIMIN IN THE TREATMENT OF HEPATIC ENCEPHALOPATHY IN PATIENTS WITH CIRRHOSIS

Abstract

Background: Cirrhosis is a major cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. It is also a frequent cause of hospital admissions. The objective of this study was to determine the efficacy of rifaximin and lactulose versus lactulose alone for the treatment of hepatic encephalopathy.
Material & Methods: This randomized controlled trial was conducted at Medical Unit A, Khyber Teaching Hospital, Peshawar, Pakistan. Duration of the study was six months in which a total of 122 patients were observed with 61 patients in each group. Consecutive, non-probability sampling technique was used for sample collection.
Results: Our study shows that mean age of the patients in Group A (rifaximin plus lactulose) was 50±2.31 years, while mean age of the patients in Group B (lactulose alone) was 52±2.78 years. In Group A 48% patients were males and 52% patients females while in Group B 45% patients were males and 55% females. Regarding the efficacy, rifaximin plus lactulose was effective in 45(74%) patients while lactulose alone was effective in 32(53%) patients with hepatic encephalopathy.
Conclusion: Lactulose plus rifaximin orally is more effective than lactulose alone in the treatment of acute hepatic encephalopathy.