The monoethylglycinexylidide test does not impair psychometric performancein patients with chronic hepatitis or cirrhosis

Lidocaine (LID) is an aminoethylamide used in hepatology to perform the mon oethylglycinexylidide (MEGX) test for the evaluation of liver function in p atients with cirrhosis (CLR) or chronic hepatitis (CH). The authors evaluat ed whether the MEGX test changes psychometric performance in patients with chronic liver disease and, in particular, whether it might trigger subclini cal portosystemic encephalopathy in patients with CIR. Thirty patients with CIR and 20 patients with CH were studied. They underwent a standard-dose M EGX test, before and after which a psychometric test was administered and b lood pressure, heart rate, and adverse effects were recorded. The MEGX test did nor modify psychometric performance. Mean arterial blood pressure and heart rate did not change at the end of the MEGX test in either patients wi th CH or CIR. Adverse effects were present in 66% of all patients during li docaine injection and lasted up to 3 minutes afterwards. They wi:re more fr equent in patients with CPI than in patients with CIR (85% vs 53%). No rela tionship was found between adverse effects and lidocaine dosage, nor betwee n adverse effects and MEGX or lidocaine concentration at 15 minutes. Standa rd-dose MEGX rest does not worsen or trigger portosystemic encephalopathy i n CIR. Adverse effects were frequent but mild.