A capillary blood ammonia bedside test following glutamine load to improve the diagnosis of hepatic encephalopathy in cirrhosis

Table 1 Patients characteristics

Age (yrs)	56.4 [42-69]
Gender (M/F)	37/20
Etiology of cirrhosis: Alcoholic	42
Other	15
MELD score	13.8 [7-29]
Child class (A/B/C)	10/33/14
HVPG (mmHg)	16 [13-22]
Esophageal varices	38/57
Ascites	29/57
TIPS	4/57
Previous episodes of HE	19/57
Nonabsorbable disaccharides	20/57
Antibiotics	17/57

Abbreviations: MELD: model for end-stage liver disease; HVPG: hepatic venous pressure gradient. TIPS: transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt.

ISSN: 1471-230X