Cognitive dysfunction is a major concern in cirrhotic patients, especially those at risk of hepatic encephalopathy (HE). Diabetes mellitus, a common comorbidity, has been linked to increased HE risk, raising questions about its impact on cognitive assessment tools.
A study published in PLOS ONE (2025), co-authored by Christian Labenz, alongside Eva Maria Schleicher, Julia Tuchscher, Matthias Weber, Peter Robert Galle, Marcus-Alexander Wörns, and Simon Johannes Gairing, examined the simplified Animal Naming Test (S-ANT1) in cirrhotic patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Findings showed that diabetes did not independently impact test performance, while MHE diagnosis, education level, sodium levels, and age were key factors.
However, patients with diabetic foot syndrome performed worse than healthy controls, and cirrhotic patients with MHE had the most significant cognitive impairment. These results reinforce S-ANT1 as a valuable screening tool for MHE, though careful interpretation is needed in diabetes-related complications.
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