Lactulose reduces bacterial DNA translocation, which worsens neurocognitive shape in cirrhotic patients with minimal hepatic encephalopathy

Abstract Minimal hepatic encephalopathy is associated with poor prognosis and mortality in patients with cirrhosis. We aimed at investigating whether bacterial-DNA translocation affects hyperammonaemia and neurocognitive scores in patients with mHE according to the use of lactulose. Observational study including 72 mHE cirrhotic patients, as defined by a psychometric hepatic encephalopathy score (PHES)