Short‐latency reaction time and accuracy are impaired in patients with cirrhosis: An international multicenter retrospective study

Abstract

AimThe inability to quickly react to an external event can lead to an increased risk for accidents (e.g., falls, car crashes) in patients with cirrhosis. The aim of this study was to determine whether a novel clinically feasible measure of simple reaction time (SRT) and reaction accuracy (RA)—a go/no‐go task occurring within 400 ms—could differentiate patients with cirrhosis from controls.MethodsThis retrospective study included 160 patients with cirrhosis and 160 controls assessed between January 2010 and October 2022. SRT and RA were evaluated using a ruler drop paradigm and compared using propensity score matching. Factors distinguishing patients with cirrhosis from controls were assessed using logistic regression and receiver operating characteristics curve (ROC) analyses.ResultsPropensity score matching identified 112 participants in each group with comparable baseline characteristics. As compared with controls, patients with cirrhosis exhibited significantly prolonged SRT (200 vs. 174 ms; P < 0.001) and diminished total RA (63% vs. 73%; P < 0.001). After adjustment for confounding factors, SRT and RA independently identified patients with cirrhosis. ROC analyses showed that SRT more effectively identified patients with cirrhosis than did the number‐connection test/trail‐making test‐B (area under the curve, 0.87 vs. 0.60; P < 0.001).ConclusionsPatients with cirrhosis demonstrated impairments in short‐latency cognitive function. Given that SRT and RA are associated with balance, falls, and response to perturbation, these parameters may present a task‐specific method to identify patients with cirrhosis at high risk of falls and motor vehicle crashes. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2024; 24: 25–31.