Active clinical trials for "Liver Cirrhosis"

Primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) is frequently associated with hypercholesterolemia and possibly with an increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Statins lower serum cholesterol levels and may thus improve the cardiovascular risk in PBC patients. The aim of our study therefore was to prospectively examine the efficacy of low-dose atorvastatin on indicators of cardiovascular risk such as dyslipidemia and vascular function as well as safety in patients with PBC.

The aim of this study is to determine whether a simplified device of albumin dialysis also has beneficial effects.

Septic shock is a frequent and severe complication in cirrhosis. Current mortality rate ranges between 50 and 80% of cases. Refractory shock, hepatorenal failure and variceal bleeding are the main causes of death of these patients. Terlipressin administration could prevent these complications and improve survival in this setting. Aim: To evaluate the effects of terlipressin administration on hospital survival in cirrhotic patients with severe sepsis or septic shock. Methods: Prospective, open labelled, controlled trial evaluating 72 cirrhotic patients with severe sepsis or septic shock who will be randomized to receive terlipressin plus alpha-adrenergic drugs or only alpha-adrenergic drugs at shock diagnosis. Patients will be submitted to continuous systemic hemodynamic monitoring (S. Ganz catheter or Vigileo). Changes in vasoactive systems and cytokines levels will be also evaluated.

Intervention to achieve alcohol abstinence represents the most effective treatment for alcoholic patients with liver cirrhosis. However no trials have evaluated the efficacy of anti-craving drugs in these patients because of the concern that these medications might worsen liver disease. Baclofen is effective to reduce alcohol craving improving abstinence in alcohol-dependent patients. It is mainly eliminated by kidney. No hepatic side-effects have been reported in treated patients. The present study investigates the efficacy and safety of baclofen in achieving and maintaining abstinence in alcoholic cirrhotic patients.

Besides liver transplantation, the curative treatment of primary hepatic cancer with cirrhosis remains the surgical resection. Radiofrequency or cryotherapy currently allow local ablation of small cancer, with very good results. However, all these treatments are followed by high rates of recurrence (50 - 70% at 5 years). Then, it seems essential to associate to the surgical resection or to the local ablation as "adjuvant" treatment, in order to prevent or to decrease the rate of recurrence. However, no evidence supports this attitude. Therefore, following curative treatment of primary hepatic cancer with cirrhosis, we propose to compare treated to untreated patients. Postoperative treatment means either intra-arterial chemotherapy or systemic chemotherapy. The main criterion of the study is time of survival without recurrence. The main secondary objective is the safety.

This is a proof of principal study to determine whether combination anti-viral therapy with Combivir impacts on hepatic biochemistry in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of continuous simvastatin administration on the hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG), as a surrogate marker of prognosis, and its safety in patients with cirrhosis and portal hypertension.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the use of modafinil in the treatment of fatigue in patients with Primary Biliary Cirrhosis. The general aim of the study is to identify a safe and effective therapy for fatigue in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis.

There is evidence on the beneficial effects of the administration of angiotensin II type 1 (AT1) receptors antagonists on liver fibrosis in hepatic stellate cells, experimental models of liver fibrosis in rodents and limited information in chronic hepatitis C with mild fibrosis. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of long-term administration of oral Losartan, an AT1 receptor antagonist, on liver fibrogenesis in patients with chronic hepatitis C and fibrosis F2-F3 (METAVIR score).

This 36-month open-label study of adefovir dipivoxil investigates the clinical benefits of the therapy in chronic hepatitis B patients with advanced fibrosis or cirrhosis confirmed with biopsy. Primary endpoint is histological improvement defined as a decrease of Ishak Fibrosis Score by one point or more from baseline at Month 36 of adefovir dipivoxil treatment. Approximately 150 patients will be recruited in study centres in the Asia Pacific area. The patients are offered 36 months of open label adefovir dipivoxil treatment, with assessments every three months, after which there is a 6-month post study treatment follow-up prior to study completion. After the 36 months of study treatment, it is likely that the patient will benefit from continued treatment with adefovir dipivoxil. If this is the case in the investigators clinical judgement, the investigator should ensure that a routine prescription is available in a timely manner, and that no unnecessary interruption in treatment occurs.