Active clinical trials for "Liver Cirrhosis"

Patients with advanced cirrhosis have abnormal translocation of Gram-negative bacteria across the intestinal barrier and subsequent systemic inflammatory response. We hypothesized that this translocation may worsen the underlying liver disease. Thus, the aim of this trial was to assess the effects of the oral administration of norfloxacin (an antibiotic that suppresses intestinal Gram-negative bacteria) on the development of complications of cirrhosis.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of high doses of both peginterferon-alfa 2a (360 ug per week) plus ribavirin (800 mg b.i.d.) in HIV-infected patients with compensated liver cirrhosis by HCV genotype 1 or 4 without previous virological response(*) to a standard dose treatment of both drugs. (*) Non previous virological response: no decrease of plasma RNA-HCV at least 2 log10 after 12 weeks in treatment or breakthrough viremia while on treatment. Additionally, this study will evaluated the influence of simultaneous peginterferon-alfa 2a and ribavirin plasma concentrations on early viral response (EVR) and sustained viral response (SVR) in these patients. Method: Pilot clinical trial, phase II-III, open labeled multicenter in which patients from several hospitals of the Servicio Andaluz de Salud will be enrolled. The usual clinical and analytical follow up will be performed but additional blood samples will be obtained for determination of interferon and ribavirin plasma levels. The primary end point will be a sustained virologic response (defined as an undetectable serum HCV-RNA after 24 weeks after the cessation of treatment). Likewise, rapid virological response (at 4 weeks of treatment), early virological response (at 12 weeks), and end of treatment response rates will be evaluated as well as their relationships with the plasma interferon an ribavirin concentrations determined by ELISA and HPLC, respectively. The safety and tolerability of the studied medications will be evaluated by means of clinical adverse events, physical examination and laboratory results. The evolution of liver fibrosis will be evaluated comparing the basal and end of treatment results of transient elastometry.

Background: Alcohol is one of principal causes of hepatic fibrosis. Although the most effective treatment for alcoholic hepatic fibrosis is abstinence of alcohol consumption, additive treatment to reduce the accumulation of scar tissue can accelerate the improvement of hepatic fibrosis in alcoholic liver disease. The renin-angiotensin system can be an attractive antifibrotic target in liver. Several lines of evidence indicate that overproduction of angiotensin II(ANG II) in chronic liver injury stimulates the activation of hepatic stellate cells(HSCs) attributed to fibrogenesis. Additionally, the antifibrotic effect of ANG II blocking agent has been shown in various animal models and hepatitis C patients. Hence, drugs that inhibit the renin-angiotensin system have promise in ameliorating hepatic fibrosis in chronic liver injury. However, no study has been conducted in patients with alcoholic liver disease to evaluate the effect ANG II type I receptor blocking agent on hepatic fibrosis. Aim: This study aimed to investigate the safety and the efficacy of chronic administration of candesartan to hepatic fibrosis patients with alcoholic liver disease. Methods 1) Patients with liver fibrosis(F2) were randomized to receive either the angiotensin receptor blocker(ARB), candesartan(8 mg/day) with ursodeoxycholic acid(UDCA)(600 mg/day)(n = 42), or UDCA alone(n = 43) as control for 6 months. 2)All enrolled patients underwent liver biopsies twice for measurement of fibrosis score, area of fibrosis and alpha-smooth muscle actin(SMA) positive and hydroxyproline. 3) Transforming growth factor-beta1(TGF-beta1), collagen-1, angiotensin II type I receptor(AT1-R), tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1(TIMP-1), Rac1 and p22phox which represent oxidant stress were also measured by real-time RT-PCR before and after 6 months of therapy.

This is a phase 2 study of HPN-100 in subjects with hepatic encephalopathy (HE) consisting of an open label safety lead-in (Part A), followed by randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled treatment (Part B).

The objective of the study was evaluate the effect of administration of midodrine and albumin on renal function in patients with cirrhosis and creatinine greater than 1,2mg/dl.

Liver cirrhosis (LC) represents a late stage of progressive hepatic fibrosis characterized by distortion of the hepatic architecture and formation of regenerative nodules. The liver transplantation is one of the only effective therapies available to such patients. However, lack of donors, surgical complications, rejection, and high cost are it's serious problems. The potential for stem cells to differentiate into hepatocytes cells was recently confirmed. Particularly, autologous bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cell (BM-MSC) has been demonstrated to decrease MELD score and increase serum albumin in the patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis. Therefore, the investigators propose a hypothesis that umbilical cord-derived MSCs (UC-MSC) can also improve the disease conditions of LC patients, particularly reducing the decompensated conditions in these patients.

To evaluate the safety of IV conivaptan in stable euvolemic or hypervolemic cirrhotic patients, and to characterize the effects of IV conivaptan on the hepatic hemodynamic response in patients with cirrhosis.

The blockade of angiotensin II synthesis attenuates hepatic fibrosis in different experimental models of chronic liver injury. We aimed to determine the safety and efficacy of moexipril, an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor, on liver biochemistries, Mayo risk score, and health-related quality of life in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) who have had a suboptimal response to ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA).

The objective is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of combination therapy with peginterferon alfa-2b 1.0 µg/kg/week subcutaneous (SC) + ribavirin administered for 48 weeks in participants with chronic hepatitis C and type C compensated liver cirrhosis. Participants who are hepatitis C virus ribonucleic acid (HCV-RNA) positive after 24 weeks of treatment will be discontinued from therapy.

Raltegravir is the first integrase inhibitor used in humans. It has been shown to be highly efficacious and well tolerated in phase III clinical trials in multidrug experienced human immunodeficiency virus(HIV)-infected patients, as well as initial therapy in untreated patients. Pharmacokinetic studies in healthy adult subjects indicate that the major mechanism of clearance of the drug is glucuronidation mediated by UGT1A1, with a minor contribution of renal excretion of unchanged parent compound. Unlike CYP-based metabolism, glucuronidation is generally found to be relatively unaffected by hepatic disease. A single dose pharmacokinetic study of raltegravir in patients with mild to moderate hepatic insufficiency (Steigbigel et al. 2008) found no clinically important effect on the drug pharmacokinetic profile, with no dosage adjustment being necessary. The liver safety and tolerability of boosted atazanavir (ATV/r) has been evaluated in human immunodeficiency virus and hepatitis C virus (HIV/HCV) coinfected patients with advanced liver disease (decompensated cirrhosis) (Hermida JM et al. 4th IAS: Sidney, 2007). Similar to Raltegravir, ATV is also mainly metabolized by conjugation through UGT1A1. There is an urgent need for potent and efficacious ARV drugs with a clean safety liver profile even in patients with severe liver disease. The investigators hypothesized that pharmacokinetics will not be altered in HIV/HCV patients with advanced (Child-Pugh grade C) cirrhosis or in those with no histologic liver damage.