66 Poster Sessions and cardiac index (CI; reference sample method; n=7, respectively) were estimated using 141Ce-labeled microspheres (15 micrometer in diameter). Results: As compared to SHAM, both CBDL groups manifested hypox- emia and hyperdynamic circulation. PaO2 was significantly higher and A-aDO2 was significantly lower in treated CBDL than non-treated CBDL. Although IPS in non-treated as well as treated CBDL was significantly higher than SHAM, there was no significant difference between the treated and non-treated CBDL. There was no significant difference of portal pres- sure between treated and non-treated CBDL. However, hyperdynamic sys- temic circulation was significantly relieved in treated CBDL as compared to non-treated CBDL. Conclusion: It is suggested that the chronic administration of MB may have a beneficial effect on arterial oxygenation in HPS. Category 2b: Cirrhosis and Complications: Clinical Aspects 204 NONABSORBABLE DISACCHARIDES FOR HEPATIC ENCEPHALOPATHY: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF RANDOMISED TRIALS B. Als-Nielsen , L.L. Gluud, C. Gluud. Cochrane Hepato Biliary Group, Copenhagen Trial Unit, H:S Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark Objectives: To assess the effects of nonabsorbable disaccharides for hep- atic encephalopathy. Data sources: Cochrane Hepato-Biliary Group Con- trolled Trials Register, Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, and EMBASE. Ref- erence lists of relevant articles. Authors and pharmaceutical companies. Review methods: Randomised trials comparing nonabsorbable disac- charides versus no intervention, placebo, or antibiotics for hepatic en- cephalopathy were included. The primary outcome measures were no im- provement of hepatic encephalopathy and all-cause mortality. Results: Overall, 22 trials were included. Compared with placebo or no intervention, nonabsorbable disaccharides appeared to reduce the risk of no improvement of hepatic encephalopathy (RR 0.62, 95% confidence in- terval (CI) 0.46-0.84, six trials). However, this result may reflect bias, as trials of high methodological quality found no significant effect of nonab- sorbable disaccharides on the risk of no improvement (RR 0.92, 95% CI 0.42-2.04, two trials). Compared with placebo or no intervention, nonab- sorbable disaccharides had no statistically significant effect on mortality (RR 0.41, 95% CI 0.02-8.68, four trials). Nonabsorbable disaccharides were inferior to antibiotics on reducing the risk of no improvement (RR 1.24, 95% CI 1.02-1.50, 10 trials) and lowering blood ammonia (weighted mean difference, 4.0 ug/dl, 95% CI 0.1-7.9, 10 trials), but there was no significant difference in mortality (RR 0.90, 95% CI 0.48-1.67, five trials). Conclusions: There is insufficient high-quality evidence to support nonab- sorbable disaccharides for hepatic encephalopathy. Antibiotics were supe- rior to nonabsorbable disaccharides in improving hepatic encephalopathy, but it is unclear whether this difference is important to patients. Nonab- sorbable disaccharides should not serve as an active comparator in ran- domised trials on hepatic encephalopathy. 205 AGE-RELATED CHANGES OF SPLANCHNIC HEMODYNAMICS IN PATIENTS WITH LIVER CIRRHOSIS A. Berzigotti , L. Angeloni, S. Dapporto, N. Castaldini, S. Ramilli, D. Magalotti, M. Zoli. Dipartimento Di Medicina Interna, Cardioangiologia, Epatologia. Università Di Bologna, Bologna, Italy Background & Aim: It has been previously demonstrated by our group that aging is associated to a decrease of hepatic blood flow. It is not known whether aging induces changes in splanchnic circulation also in geriatric cirrhotic patients. Methods: We studied 78 cirrhotics (40 < 65 years-old, 38 > 65 years- old) and 20 subjects > 65 years-old without liver disease by echo-color- Doppler. Results: The severity of liver disease did not differ between younger and older cirrhotic patients (Child score 7.3±2.1 vs. 7.6±2.2); all cir- rhotic patients showed a hyperaemic splanchnic circulation. Hepatic, mesenteric, and portal blood flow did not differ between younger and older cirrhotic patients. Hepatic, intrasplenic and intrarenal impedance indexes (RIs) showed a direct correlation with aging both in cirrhotics and in controls (p<0.0001). RIs were higher in older cirrhotics than in younger (hepatic artery 0.82±0.05 vs.0.73±0.07 p<0.0001; intrasplenic artery 0.72±0.09 vs.0.63±0.08 p<0.0001; right renal artery 0.73±0.07 vs.0.68±0.07 p=0.01), and than in controls (p<0.05), but were not differ- ent from the subgroup of controls with essential arterial hypertension. Conclusions: Aging induces an increase in arterial resistance indexes both in cirrhotic and in non-cirrhotic population. Geriatric subjects with essen- tial arterial hypertension showed higher than normal arterial resistance in all the districts, similar to that observed in age-matched cirrhotics. In con- clusion high hepatic, splenic and renal arterial impedance is not a specific clue of advanced liver disease in subjects > 65 years-old. Caution is needed in the Doppler staging of liver disease in aged population. 206 NONINVASIVE DIAGNOSIS OF LIVER CIRRHOSIS USING DNA-SEQUENCER-BASED TOTAL SERUM PROTEIN GLYCOMICS N. Callewaert 1 , H. Van Vlierberghe 2 , A. Van Hecke 1 , W. Laroy 1 , J. Delanghe 3 , R. Contreras 1 . 1 Department of Molecular Biomedical Research, Ghent University and Flanders Interuniversity Institute For Biotechnology, Technologiepark 927, Zwijnaarde, Belgium; 2 Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Ghent University Hospital, De Pintelaan 185, Ghent, Belgium; 3 Department of Clinical Chemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Ghent University Hospital, De Pintelaan 185, Ghent, Belgium We have developed a ‘clinical glycomics’ method that uses a PCR thermo- cycler and a DNA sequencer/fragment analyser to rapidly generate high- resolution profiles of the N-glycan post-translational modifications present on the proteins in patient’s serum (see the figure of this abstract). We have found that the serum N-glycome yields a biomarker that diagnoses mild liver cirrhosis with almost 90% efficiency (and advanced liver cirrhosis with 100% efficiency). Highly specific serum biomarkers such as the one described here are very valuable, as they can help to obviate the biopsy need in a lot of cirrhosis patients. Moreover, this biomarker could eventu-