S100B protein as a marker of minimal hepatic encephalopathy

Introduction
Minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) is an overlooked impairment of central nervous system function in patients with acute and chronic liver diseases. Its impact on patients’ quality of life, prognosis, and the incidence of overt hepatic encephalopathy has been proven. Due to diagnostic difficulties, searching for a serum biomarker for MHE appears to be extremely important.

Aim
The aim of the study was to demonstrate a potential correlation between the serum levels of SB100P protein in patients with MHE symptoms and the levels of SB100P protein in patients with MHE.

Material and methods
Given the association of hepatic encephalopathy with central nervous system damage, the study used the serum level of S100B protein in patients diagnosed with MHE based on the Psychometric Hepatic Encephalopathy Score (PHES) test.

Results
The study results showed a statistically significant correlation between the serum S100B protein level and the PHES test result. It was also found that the S100B protein level was higher than the norm for the healthy population, as provided by the test manufacturer, in 83% of the patients.

Conclusions
These results are promising, suggesting that further research is needed to verify the significance of S100B protein as a biomarker for MHE.