In cirrhotic patients with covert or minimal HE, plasma levels of many pro‐inflammatory cytokines, including IL‐6, IL‐21, IL‐17, IL‐10, IFN‐γ, IL‐18, CCL20, TNF‐α, CXCL13, IL‐15, and CX3CL1 are elevated, and TGF‐β is reduced. This evidence concerns the gene IL17A and hereditary elliptocytosis.