Erythromycin versus neomycin in the treatment of hepatic encephalopathy in cirrhosis: a randomized double-blind study

Table 3 Comparison of the results obtained with each treatment during the hospitalizations

Variables	Erythromycin	Neomycin	p
∆ IHD ¹	3.00 (2.25 : 4.00)	5.00 (3.25 : 11.25)	0.032
∆ GCS ¹	1.00 (0.25 : 2.00)	0.00 (0.00 : 3.25)	0.394
∆ MELD ²	−0.55 ± 1.53	−0.62 ± 2.08	0.917
∆ HEG ¹	2 (1 : 2.5)	2 (1 : 3)	0.806
∆ HEI ¹	−6.00 (−9.00 : -1.50)	−5.00 (−7.00 : -1.25)	0.632
∆ CRP ¹	0.30 (0.10 : 0.70)	1.10 (0.15 : 4.30)	0.111
∆ NH₃ ²	−31.40 ± 49.32	−30.70 ± 92.15	0.979
∆ ALT ²	−3.20 ± 8.54	3.71 ± 7.12	0.026
∆ AST ²	−15.70 ± 48.06	8.42 ± 21.80	0.678
∆ AP ²	−17.70 ± 65.3	−12.30 ± 48.90	0.802
∆ GGT ¹	−7.00 (−29.00 : 0.75)	−5.00 (−25.50 : 5.00)	0.724
∆ urea ²	−2.19 ± 20.64	−4.25 ± 23.72	0.802
∆ creatinine ²	−0.10 ± 0.27	−0.20 ± 0.30	0.289

¹ median, 1º : 3º quartiles ; Mann–Whitney test comparison.
² mean ± standard deviation ; t test comparison.
∆ = final – initial values. IHD = in-hospital days. GCS = Glasgow coma scale. HEI = hepatic encephalopathy index. HEG = hepatic encephalopathy grade. CRP = C reactive protein (mg/dl). NH₃ = serum ammonia (μM/l). ALT = alanine aminotranspherase, AST = aspartate aminotranspherase, AP = alcaline phosphatase, and GGT = gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase (all in U/l). Urea and creatinine are measured in mg/dl.

ISSN: 1471-230X