Manganese in Women With Encephalopathy

Manganese, Possible Factor of Higher Mortality in Women With Encephalopathy

Objective:

Report manganese serum levels and mortality in encephalopathic patients.

Patients and participants:

Consecutive patients aged > 18 years, with hepatic encephalopathy and informed consent signed by their families.

Interventions:

Patients' clinical characteristics as well as biochemical tests of renal function, hemoglobin, glucose and albumin levels were obtained as well as a blood sample to analyze manganese levels with a graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometer.

Hypothesis:

There is a difference in the manganese levels between male and female patients.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Consecutive patients aged > 18 years
• With hepatic encephalopathy
• Informed consent signed by their families

Exclusion Criteria:

• Portal bypass surgery
• Cancer of any localization
• Known malignancy and other severe diseases which shorten life expectancy < 6 months
• Psychiatric illness