Table 1.
Patient baseline characteristics
| Rifaximin (n = 38) | Control (n = 38) | P value | |
| Age (yr) | 69 (40-85) | 69.5 (42-90) | 0.934 |
| Sex (female/male) | 17 (44.7%)/21 (55.3%) | 11 (28.9%)/27 (71.1%) | 0.234 |
| BMI (kg/m2) | 24.78(18.67-35.88) | 23.1 (15.5-30.1) | 0.035 |
| Etiology (HBV/HCV/Alcohol/NASH) | 7 (18.4%)/5 (13.2%)/13 (34.2%)/5 (13.2%) | 4 (10.5%)/14 (36.8%)/9 (23.7%)/3 (7.9%) | 0.107 |
| Child-Pugh A/B/C | 15 (39.5%)/15 (39.5%)/8 (21.1%) | 20 (52.6%)/ 17 (44.7%)/1 (2.6%) | 0.051 |
| ALBI Grade | 1(2.6%) /27 (71.1%) /10 (26.3%) | 22 (57.9%)/15 (39.5%)/1(2.6%) | < 0.001 |
| MELD Score1 | 6 (2-17) | 9 (0-22) | 0.205 |
| ALT (IU/L)1 | 24.5 (8.0-105.0) | 31.5 (8.0-1490) | 0.109 |
| AST (IU/L)1 | 39.5 (20.0-136.0) | 45 (15-1041) | 0.426 |
| GGTP (IU/L)1 | 35.5 (11.0-558.0) | 64 (14-506) | 0.055 |
| Serum ammonia | 104 (59-297) | 52 (23-89) | < 0.001 |
| Albumin (g/dL)1 | 3.0 (2.1-4.4) | 4.05 (2.4-5.0) | < 0.001 |
| Total bilirubin (mg/dL)1 | 1.65 (0.4-4.7) | 1.0 (0.4-8.6) | 0.002 |
| Platelet count (×103/μL)1 | 8.7 (4.8-27.9) | 12.3 (2.3-30.2) | 0.023 |
| Prothrombin activity (%) | 60 (38-133) | 69 (14-108) | 0.066 |
| AFP (ng/mL)1 | 4.3 (1.0-3375) | 6.25 (1.3-385.5) | 0.065 |
| DCP (mAU/mL)1 | 37 (15-3178) | 25 (11-11688) | 0.383 |
| Fibrosis 4 index1 | 5.61 (1.71-15.1) | 4.25 (1.2-33.4) | 0.117 |
| MRE (kPa)1 | 5.04 (3.00-11.11) | 4.86 (3.36-12.50) | 0.748 |
| SWE (kPa)1 | 23.1 (8.3-56) | 16.8 (7.0-36.8) | < 0.001 |
| History of overt hepatic encephalopathy | 12 (31.6%) | 0 (0%) | < 0.001 |
| HCC | 9 (23.7%) | 12 (31.6%) | 0.442 |
| Ascites | 11 (29.0%) | 10 (26.3%) | 0.834 |
| Esophageal varices | 27 (71.1%) | 23 (60.5%) | 0.469 |
| Max diameter of portosystemic shunts (mm) | 7.6 (1.7-18.5) | 4.2 (1.6-10.9) | < 0.001 |
| Number of portosystemic shunts (0,1/2-) | 8 (22.2%)/28 (77.8%) | 24 (63.2%)/14 (36.8%) | 0.001 |
| Lactulose | 29 (76.3%) | 6 (15.8%) | < 0.001 |
| BCAA | 24 (63.2%) | 14 (36.8%) | 0.038 |
| Sarcopenia | 17 (44.7%) | 17 (44.7%) | 1 |
| Follow up period (wk)1 | 61 (24-91) | 91 (5-120) | < 0.001 |
1
Values are expressed as median (range). BMI: Body mass index; HBV: Hepatitis B virus; HCV: Hepatitis C virus; NASH: Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis; ALBI score: Albumin bilirubin score; MELD score: Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score; ALT: Alanine aminotransferase; AST: Aspartate aminotransferase; GGTP: Gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase; AFP: Alpha fetoprotein; DCP: Des-gamma carboxyprothrombin; MRE: Magnetic resonance elastography; SWE: Shear wave elastography; HCC: Hepatocellular carcinoma; BCAA: Branched-chain amino acid.