The continuous reaction time test for minimal hepatic encephalopathy validated by a randomized controlled multi-modal intervention—A pilot study

Abstract Background and aims Opioid consumption has increased dramatically in patients with chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP), but long-term consequences are still unclear. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of long-term opioid treatment on pain, cognition, mood, sleep and quality of life in CNCP patients. Methods In this cross-sectional pilot study, two groups of patients with CNCP treated in a multidisciplinary pain center were selected: (1) opioid group: ≥30 mg morphine equivalent/day for >4 weeks, and (2) control group: no opioid consumption for >4 weeks. Socio-demographic data, alcohol consumption, smoking habits and body mass index (BMI) were registered and pain (brief pain inventory), mood (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), sleep (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index) and quality of life (RAND 36-Item Health Survey) were assessed. Continuous Reaction Time and the Digit Span Test were used to evaluate cognitive function. Data was analyzed with a Fisher’s exact test and Wilcoxon two-sample test. Results Forty-two patients with CNCP were included (21 in each group). No differences regarding socio-demographics, smoking/alcohol habits and duration, type, or intensity of pain were found. More patients in the opioid group had significantly higher BMI (62% above BMI 25 vs. 33.3%, p = 0.042). Consequently, the subsequent data analyses were controlled for BMI. The two groups did not differ in pain, cognition, anxiety, depression, sleep or quality of life but both showed lower values than the normal standards. Further, the opioid group presented a tendency to lower ratings regarding pain and social function and performed below the normal cut off in the continuous reaction time. Conclusions No significant differences between the two groups were found regarding any of the above-mentioned variables. Interestingly, the patients assessed, regardless of taking opioids or not, could be classified with moderate pain intensity, anxiety and low quality of sleep and life compared to norm standards. Implications The findings of this pilot study suggested that long-term opioid treatment may influence pain and quality of life among CNCP patients. A larger cohort is needed to verify these findings.

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Prediction of overt hepatic encephalopathy by the continuous reaction time method and the portosystemic encephalopathy syndrome test in clinically mentally unimpaired patients with cirrhosis

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0226283 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 14 (12) ◽

pp. e0226283 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Charlotte W. Wernberg ◽

Ove B. Schaffalitzky de Muckadell ◽

Hendrik Vilstrup ◽

Mette M. Lauridsen

Keyword(s):

Hepatic Encephalopathy ◽

Reaction Time ◽

Portosystemic Encephalopathy ◽

Overt Hepatic Encephalopathy ◽

Continuous Reaction ◽

Continuous Reaction Time

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Simple Reaction Time Test

PsycTESTS Dataset ◽

10.1037/t05446-000 ◽

2012 ◽

Keyword(s):

Reaction Time ◽

Simple Reaction Time ◽

Simple Reaction ◽

Time Test ◽

Reaction Time Test

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Acceptable Levels of Tonal and Broad-Band Repetitive and Continuous Sounds during the Performance of Nonauditory Tasks

Perceptual and Motor Skills ◽

10.2466/pms.1995.81.3.803 ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 81 (3) ◽

pp. 803-816 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Ulf Landström ◽

Anders Kjellberg ◽

Marianne Byström

Keyword(s):

Reaction Time ◽

Sound Pressure ◽

Broad Band ◽

Reaction Time Task ◽

Simple Reaction Time Task ◽

Reasoning Test ◽

Band Noise ◽

Time Test ◽

The Difference ◽

Reaction Time Test

Three groups of 24 subjects were exposed to a 1000–Hz tone or broad band noise in a sound chamber. During the exposures subjects were engaged in an easy reaction time test or a difficult grammatical reasoning test. For each exposure and work subjects adjusted the noise to a tolerance level defined by its interference with task performance. During the simple reaction-time task significantly higher sound-pressure levels were accepted than during the reasoning test. At the tonal exposure, much lower levels were accepted than during the exposure to broad-band noise. For continuous sound exposures much higher levels were accepted than for noncontinuous exposures. For tonal exposures the difference was approximately 5 dB, for the broad-band exposures approximately 9 dB. In a separate study the effects of the noncontinuity of the noise and pauses were analysed. The raised annoying effect of the noncontinuous noise was not more affected by the noncontinuity of the noise periods than by the noncontinuity of the pauses. The results imply that the annoying reactions to the sound will be increased for repetitive noise and that the reaction is highly influenced by the over-all noncontinuity of the exposure.

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