Active clinical trials for "Fibrosis"

The study will be conducted in two phases. Phase A will evaluate the contribution of bacterial overgrowth and colonic inertia to development of Hepatic Encephalopathy (HE)in 50 ambulatory subjects with HE and hepatitis C cirrhosis. This phase will include a Screening and Evaluation Visit. Phase B will evaluate the effect of rifaximin on bacterial outgrowth and severity of HE in 20 of the subjects enrolled in Phase A who have a somewhat greater degree of encephalopathy. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the following: the relationship between bacterial overgrowth and the presence and severity of HE in patients with hepatitis C cirrhosis; the effectiveness and tolerability of rifaximin relative to placebo in treatment of HE associated with hepatitis C cirrhosis; the relationship between bacterial overgrowth and the presence and severity of HE before and after rifaximin treatment.

Transplantation is the preferred method of treating many forms of end-stage organ failure. While short-term results have improved, long-term outcomes remain inadequate. Myocardial fibrosis could potentially have an adverse effect on long-term cardiac function. We wish to study the degree of fibrosis to see if we can predict survival following pediatric heart transplantation.

OBJECTIVE(S): Primary: To assess the safety of the intrahepatic reinfusion of increasing numbers of autologous highly purified CD133+ stem cells (SCs) to patients with end-stage liver disease. Safety will be evaluated as the incidence of adverse event (graded according to WHO) and clinically significant abnormal laboratory value following reinfusion of SCs. Secondary: To assess the feasibility of the immunomagnetic selection of autologous CD133+ cells collected with leukapheresis from the peripheral blood (PB) of patients with end-stage liver disease, previously mobilized with G-CSF. To assess the effects of the intrahepatic reinfusion of highly purified CD133+ cells on residual hepatic function of the patients. STUDY DESIGN: Twelve patients will be enrolled. At first, G-CSF at 7.5µg/Kg/b.i.d. will be administered subcutaneously (sc) from day 1 until the completion of peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC) collection. Harvest of bone marrow (BM)-derived PBSC will begin on day + 4 only if the concentration of CD133+ cells is > 8/uL and will be continued until the collection of the target cell dose: 0.5 x 106 CD133+ cells/Kg for the first 2 cohorts of patients; 1 x 106 CD133+ cells/Kg for cohort 3 and 2 x 106 CD133+ cells/Kg for cohort 4 (see below for definitions). PB mononuclear cells obtained from mobilized standard-volume leukapheresis will be incubated with Macs colloidal superparamagnetic CD133 microbeads and CliniMacs device will be used for the positive selection of CD133+ cells under good manufacturing practice (GMP) conditions. Cryopreservation and storage in liquid nitrogen will be performed according to standard procedures. At least 4 weeks after SC mobilization and collection, up to 40 mL of single cell suspension of highly purified autologous CD133+ cells, obtained after rapid thawing, will be infused through the hepatic artery by transfemoral or transbrachial arteriography. Infusion time will be lower than 15ml/min to avoid thrombi formation. The entire procedure will be performed under anesthesiological control. According to modified Fibonacci's increment rule, highly purified G-CSF-mobilized CD133+ cells will be administered to patients starting from 5x104/Kg patient's body weight and increased every 3 patients. The maximum infused cell dose will be 1x106/kg. G-CSF at 5µg/Kg/day will be administered sc for 3 days after the reinfusion of SCs (day 0 to day +2).

The purpose of this study is to compare the effectiveness of different mucous clearance techniques in cystic fibrosis patients

Viral hepatitis C prognosis is related to the presence of a fibrosis and to the risk of developing cirrhosis or hepatic cancer. The study will evaluate the efficacy of prazosin to make hepatic fibrosis regress, in patients with chronic hepatitis C and severe fibrosis.

This study is to determine whether a compound, nitric oxide, made within the body, is the factor responsible for the changes in blood pressure and renal (kidney) functions that may occur during the course of cirrhosis. Patients with cirrhosis (liver scarring which causes poor liver function) will be eligible to participate. A group of healthy subjects will also be studied to compare the effects of the treatment to patients with cirrhosis and to confirm safety. A total number of 30 patients with cirrhosis and 10 healthy subjects will be enrolled in the study.

OBJECTIVES: I. Investigate the efficacy and safety of colchicine therapy in improving hepatic function and reducing hepatic fibrosis (scarring) in children with hepatic cirrhosis.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of autologous bone marrow mononuclear stem cell transplantation for Children Suffering from Liver Cirrhosis Due to Biliary Atresia

Cirrhotic patients are predisposed to intestinal dysmotility, bacterial overgrowth, and increased intestinal permeability all leading to an increase in bacterial translocation and increased endotoxemia. Rifaximin is an antibiotic that is virtually non-absorbed after oral administration and exhibits broad spectrum antimicrobial activity against both aerobic and anaerobic gram-positive and gram-negative microorganisms within the gastrointestinal tract. It has been suggested that oral prophylactic antibiotics or bowel decontamination might improve long-term outcomes in patients with cirrhosis. The aim of this study was to explore the effect of rifaximin on the complications of advanced cirrhosis.

To assess whether albumin administration after an episode of hepatic encephalopathy (≥ grade II) improves survival at 90 days (mortality endpoint treated as a composite endpoint death and/ or liver transplantation).