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Hepatic encephalopathy in liver cirrhosis is due to several factors, including amino acid imbalance and hyperammonemia. Lactitol [correction of lactilol], a non adsorbable disaccharide, improves hepatic encephalopathy increasing bowel movements, modifying colonic bacteria and pH, and reducing blood ammonium. Ten patients with liver cirrhosis and longstanding stable hepatic encephalopathy were treated, after a period of drugs wash-out, with lactitol. A significant improvement of hepatic encephalopathy was observed, with a significant decrease of blood ammonium, related with the increase of stool frequency/day. Atrial natriuretic peptide decreased as well. Moreover, an increase of the ratio of plasma aliphatic amino acids (valine, leucine and isoleucine)/aromatic amino acid (tyrosine and phenylalanine) was observed. Lactitol is an effective drug in the treatment of chronic hepatic encephalopathy; its mechanism of action involves not only a decrease of blood ammonium but also modifications of the degree of plasma amino acid imbalance, and fluid and circulatory adjustments.
G M Trovato, and
D Catalano, and
G Carpinteri, and
N Runcio, and
O Mazzone
January 1982,
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G M Trovato, and
D Catalano, and
G Carpinteri, and
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O Mazzone
October 1980,
Digestive diseases and sciences,
G M Trovato, and
D Catalano, and
G Carpinteri, and
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O Mazzone
January 1974,
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G M Trovato, and
D Catalano, and
G Carpinteri, and
N Runcio, and
O Mazzone
August 1979,
Digestive diseases and sciences,
G M Trovato, and
D Catalano, and
G Carpinteri, and
N Runcio, and
O Mazzone
September 1982,
Digestive diseases and sciences,
G M Trovato, and
D Catalano, and
G Carpinteri, and
N Runcio, and
O Mazzone
March 2002,
Intensive care medicine,
G M Trovato, and
D Catalano, and
G Carpinteri, and
N Runcio, and
O Mazzone
March 1977,
Gastroenterology,
G M Trovato, and
D Catalano, and
G Carpinteri, and
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January 2003,
Blood purification,
G M Trovato, and
D Catalano, and
G Carpinteri, and
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March 1985,
Taiwan yi xue hui za zhi. Journal of the Formosan Medical Association,
G M Trovato, and
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July 1995,
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