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Neurological sign
Asterixis
  1. Mark A Ellul1,2,
  2. Timothy J Cross3,
  3. Andrew J Larner4
  1. 1 Department of Neurology, The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool, UK
  2. 2 Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
  3. 3 Department of Hepatology, Royal Liverpool University Hospital, Liverpool, UK
  4. 4 Cognitive Function Clinic, The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool, UK
  1. Correspondence to Dr Mark A Ellul, Department of Neurology, The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust, Lower Lane, Liverpool L9 7LJ, UK; ellulm{at}liverpool.ac.uk

Abstract

Adams and Foley described asterixis in the 1940s in patients with hepatic encephalopathy, but it has since been associated with a wide range of potential causes, both in neurology and general medicine. Here, we review the history, characteristics and clinical significance of this important clinical sign.

  • asterixis
  • encephalopathy
  • hepatic encephalopathy
  • MYOCLONUS

http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/practneurol-2016-001393

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    Footnotes

    • Contributors MAE and AJL both contributed to literature review, writing and editing of the manuscript. TJC helped with the patient video and reviewed the manuscript.

    • Competing interests None declared.

    • Patient consent Obtained.

    • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed. This paper was reviewed by David Nicholl, Birmingham, UK.

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