Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a frequent and severe complication of liver disease with poor patient outcomes. However, it is a poorly understood complication, with no consensus for diagnosis. Therefore, HE is often underdiagnosed. Differential diagnosis may be cumbersome because of non-specific symptoms, such as confusion, cognitive disorders, the aetiological factors of cirrhosis and comorbidities, which are often observed in cirrhotic patients. Therefore, an overt or covert form of HE should be systematically investigated. Advice is provided to drive patient work-up. Effective treatments are available to prevent or treat HE bouts, but the issue of single or combination therapy has not been resolved. Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) placement largely improved the prognosis of cirrhotic patients, but HE occurrence of HE is often a fear, even when post-TIPS HE can be avoided by a careful selection of patients and preventive treatment. HE is an indication of liver transplantation. However, its reversibility post-transplantation and the consequences of transplantation in patients with other causes of neurological disorders remain controversial, which supports the performance of an extensive work-up in expert centres for this subset of patients. The present guidelines assist clinicians in the diagnosis of the overt or covert form of HE to implement curative and preventive treatments and clarify which patients require referral to expert centres for consideration for liver transplantation. These guidelines are very clinically oriented and address different frequent clinical issues to help physicians make bedside decisions.
Hepatic Encephalopathy , Portasystemic Shunt, Transjugular Intrahepatic , Humans , Hepatic Encephalopathy/diagnosis , Hepatic Encephalopathy/etiology , Hepatic Encephalopathy/therapy , Portasystemic Shunt, Transjugular Intrahepatic/adverse effects , Liver Cirrhosis/complications , Liver Cirrhosis/therapy , Risk Factors , Prognosis , Treatment Outcome
INTRODUCTION: Development of fully internet-based programs could provide a new avenue to improve access to healthcare for problem gamblers. In this project, we aim to assess the efficacy of a web-based cognitive intervention targeting inhibitory control among problem gamblers, using a randomised controlled design. As impaired inhibitory control is involved in self-regulation difficulties in behavioural addictions, it represents a particularly relevant cognitive process to target for an online psychological intervention. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This will be a single-blinded, randomised, comparative therapeutic web-based, controlled trial. Up to 200 non-treatment seeking adult problem gamblers with a Problem Gambling Severity Index-recent (PGSI-recent) score ≥5 will be included. The intervention will be a computerised cognitive training program targeting inhibitory skills. The comparator, an active control, will be a computerised neutral sensorial program. Both programs will be carried out under similar conditions: biweekly online training for 6 weeks and optional telephone support will be offered to patients for debriefing. The main objective of the study is to assess the clinical efficacy of the online cognitive training program at 6 weeks, measured with the PGSI-recent. The secondary objectives are to assess the efficacy on the gambling behaviour assessed by the account-based gambling data, on the self-reported gambling practice, and on the inhibition performance at the neuropsychological level at 6, 14 and 52 weeks. We will also assess the acceptability of this program and the preferred level of guidance. Data analysis will be in intention-to-treat. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This randomized controlled trial will be executed in compliance with the Helsinki Declaration, and was approved by the local ethics boards (Comité de Protection des Personnes) in October 2017. The findings will be published in peer-reviewed journals. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT03673800.
Behavior, Addictive , Gambling , Internet-Based Intervention , Adult , Behavior, Addictive/therapy , Gambling/therapy , Humans , Internet , Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic , Self Report , Treatment Outcome
Information and communication numeric technologies now have a deep influence on the field of healthcare. New medical practices using these technologies attempt to promote greater equality in the access of healthcare services, particularly in the field of mental health and addictions where the use of care remains low. Online gambling addiction, which we will here refer to problem gambling, seems to represent a relevant model of prevention and care measures based on the use of digital data extracted from Big data and the use of new technologies. The data from player accounts offer the possibility of a direct assessment of their gaming behavior. At the same time, we assume that the use of the Internet provides a framework for care to which online players may be particularly sensitive.
TITLE: La santé à l'ère du numérique - Apports du Big data et des nouvelles technologies dans la prévention et le traitement de l'addiction aux jeux d'argent en ligne. ABSTRACT: Les technologies de l'information et de la communication ont profondément marqué le champ de la santé. De nouvelles pratiques médicales utilisant ces technologies tentent de promouvoir une meilleure égalité d'accès aux soins, en particulier dans le champ de la santé mentale et des addictions où le recours aux professionnels de santé demeure faible. L'addiction aux jeux de hasard et d'argent en ligne, que nous désignerons sous le terme de jeu problématique, semble représenter un modèle pertinent de mesures de prévention et de soin fondé sur l'exploitation des données numériques issues du Big data et sur l'utilisation des nouvelles technologies. Ens effet, les données issues des comptes des joueurs offrent la possibilité d'une lecture directe de leur comportement de jeu. Parallèlement, le recours à l'internet offre un cadre de soin auquel les joueurs en ligne pourraient être particulièrement sensibles.
Behavior, Addictive/therapy , Big Data , Gambling/therapy , Internet , Behavior, Addictive/prevention & control , Delivery of Health Care , Gambling/prevention & control , Humans , Information Technology
