Frequency of encephalopathy in cirrhotic patients presenting with upper gastrointestinal bleeding

Objective: to determine the frequency of hepatic encephalopathy in cirrhotic patients presenting with upper gastrointestinal bleed. methods: this was a case series (observational study) in which hundred cirrhotic patients presenting with upper gi bleed were enrolled. results: one hundred patients of liver cirrhosis with upper gi bleed were included in this study. most of the patients i.e.,61(61%) were positive for hcv rna alone while another 15 (15%) were positive for both hcv rna and hbsag. out of 100 patients,62(62%) developed encephalopathy and 38 (38%) were having no evidence of encephalopathy. conclusion: most of cirrhotics with upper gi bleed develop encephalopathy. preventing upper gi bleeding can thus contribute significantly in reducing the morbidity and mortality resulting from hepatic encephalopathy.