[Eliciting factors and clinical picture of hepatic coma in 152 patients with cirrhosis of the liver (author's transl)].

Exogenous hepatic coma was found 102 times (group A) and a combination of exogenous and endogenous hepatic coma 50 times (group B) in 152 patients with hepatic coma. The most frequent eliciting factors in group A were too high a protein supply and gastrointestinal hemorrhage and diuretics, in group B necrotic exacerbations and infections, 2/3 of them having severe portal hypertension with ascites and esophageal varices at the same time. A typical fetor hepaticus was found in only 25% of group A and 50% in group B. 10% had a primary liver cell carcinoma. The prognosis depends largely on the stage of the coma and the treatment of the eliciting factors. Altogether 50 of the 152 hepatic coma patients died. The most frequent complication was a terminal renal failure which no longer responded to therapy.