Rifaximin versus Nonabsorbable Disaccharides for the Treatment of Hepatic Encephalopathy: A Meta-Analysis

Table 3

Meta-analysis of psychchometric outcomes between rifaximin and nonabsorbable disaccharides.

Psychometric outcomes	Rifaximin			Control			Mean difference IV, random, 95% CI
	Mean	SD	Total	Mean	SD	Total
Mental status
Bucci and Palmieri 1993 [26]	0.8	0.5	30	1.2	0.3	28	−0.40 [−0.61, −0.19]
Loguercio et al. 2003 [29]	0.42	0.67	14	0.9	0.74	13	−0.48 [−1.01, 0.05]
Massa et al. 1993 [27]	0.6	0.2	20	1.2	0.3	20	−0.60 [−0.76, −0.44]
Paik et al. 2005 [21]	0.5	0.7	32	0.3	0.4	22	0.2 [−0.09, 0.49]
Total (95% CI)			96			83	−0.32 [−0.67, 0.03]
Heterogeneity: Τ^2 = 0.10; 𝜒^2 = 22.09; df = 3 (𝑃 < 0.0001); 𝐼^2 = 86%
Test for overall effect: 𝑍 = 1.80 (𝑃 = 0.07)
Asterixis
Bucci and Palmieri 1993 [26]	0.5	0.3	30	1.2	0.3	28	−0.40 [−0.61, −0.19]
Mas et al. 2003 [28]	0	0.5	50	0	0.5	53	0.00 [−0.19, 0.19]
Massa et al. 1993 [27]	0.1	0.2	20	0.1	0.2	20	0.00 [−0.12, 0.12]
Paik et al. 2005 [21]	0.3	0.7	32	0.4	0.6	22	−0.10 [−0.45, 0.25]
Total (95% CI)			132			123	−0.12 [−0.31, 0.08]
Heterogeneity: Τ^2 = 0.03; 𝜒^2 = 10.85; df = 3 (𝑃 = 0.01); 𝐼^2 = 72%
Test for overall effect: 𝑍 = 1.19 (𝑃 = 0.23)
EEG
Bucci and Palmieri 1993 [26]	0.4	0.2	30	0.6	0.3	28	−0.20 [−0.33, −0.07]
Mas et al. 2003 [28]	0.6	0.9	50	0.9	0.9	53	−0.30 [−0.65, 0.05]
Total (95% CI)			80			81	−0.21 [−0.34, −0.09]
Heterogeneity: Τ^2 = 0.00; 𝜒^2 = 0.28; df = 1 (𝑃 = 0.60); 𝐼^2 = 0%
Test for overall effect: 𝑍 = 3.37 (𝑃 = 0.0007)
PSE sum
Mas et al. 2003 [28]	4	0.1	50	6	2	53	−2.00 [−2.54, −1.46]
Massa et al. 1993 [27]	3	0.5	20	5.5	0.5	20	−2.50 [−2.78, −1.82]
Total (95% CI)			70			73	−2.30 [−2.78, −1.82]
Heterogeneity: Τ^2 = 0.07; 𝜒^2 = 2.48; df = 1 (𝑃 = 0.12); 𝐼^2 = 60%
Test for overall effect: 𝑍 = 9.40 (𝑃 < 0.00001)

IV: inverse variance, EEG: electroencephalogram, and PSE: portosystemic encephalopathy.