Active clinical trials for "Fibrosis"

When someone has hepatitis C or some other condition that causes liver injury, he or she can develop a condition called liver fibrosis that over time, can cause the liver to stop working normally. Currently, the best way to determine the degree of fibrosis is to do a liver biopsy. The investigators hope to show that measuring the degree of liver fibrosis using an MRI with gadoxetate disodium is as good as or better than obtaining this information by performing a liver biopsy. Gadoxetate disodium is a contrast solution given through the veins that is considered safe, is approved for use by the Food and Drug Administration, and is already routinely given to patients with various forms of liver disease, including fibrosis.

Cystic Fibrosis is a genetic disease with variable severity, and a predisposition for lung infection. Usually severity is determined by the class of CF mutations, but even among patients with the same severity of mutations there is a variation of the severity of CF. Haptoglobin has several types (phenotypes), one of them was found to be related to infectious complications. In this study the investigators aim to find a correlation between Haptoglobin phenotypes in patients with CF and frequency of infectious complications. To this end the investigators will collect serum from CF patients, and determine their Haptoglobin protein phenotype. The investigators will correlate Haptoglobin phenotype to retrospectively gathered data on infectious complications.

Physical activity seems to be a prognostic factor for quality of life and survival in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). Whereas their exercise capacity has been assessed through medical examination, their daily physical activity has been little studied. Activity monitors have measured physical activity only in a few studies which considered mainly respiratory status and more recently bone mineral density and body composition. Determinants of physical activity in patients with CF remain largely unknown. The objective of this study is to measure daily physical activity with activity monitors in adult patients with CF and to investigate the determinants of physical activity, with a focus on extra-respiratory factors (nutritional status, diabetes, bone mineralization, anxiety and/or depression, cardiac impairment). Seventy adult patients with CF, regularly cared at the Cochin adult CF centre, will be recruited in a stable period during their annual review. During this assessment, laboratory tests will be carried out (especially parameters for nutritional status), as well as measurement of body composition and bone mineral density, respiratory function tests and a 6 minute walk test, and echocardiography. Patients will wear for 7 consecutive days a multi-sensor armband SenseWear on the arm, to assess the intensity of physical activity in metabolic equivalents (METS) and steps per day. Finally, patients will complete three self-administered questionnaires: Quality of Life (CFQ14 +), hospital anxiety depression scale and physical activity. After a descriptive analysis of the study cohort, we will study qualitative and quantitative criteria related to physical activity (assessed quantitatively by the number of steps/day or metabolic equivalents). Linear regression models will then be developed to assess the independent factors associated with physical activity, adjusting for different variables of interest related to patients demographic, behavioral, clinical (respiratory and non-respiratory ) and biological parameters. Conversely, the "predictive" independent aspect of physical activity will be studied according to respiratory function, nutritional status and quality of life.

This is a point prevalence study conducted entirely in the United States (US) to establish the prevalence of antibodies to hepatitis E virus (HEV) and other selected porcine viruses in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients receiving pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy (PERT) for pancreatic insufficiency compared with matched (age and region of residence) control patients with chronic medical conditions unexposed to PERT.

PBC is a rare, autoimmune, cholestatic liver disease with genetic and environmental pathogenetic factors. Data about epidemiology of PBC in Switzerland are completely lacking. Epidemiology can be a powerful tool in yielding important clues as to burden and etiology of diseases. In addition, the investigators study will be the first one carried out in the country on PBC, and therefore will raise disease awareness and create a network.

Background: - Hepatitis C infection (HCV) is a leading cause of liver disease. Normal bacteria from the intestines may spread to the liver and blood during liver disease. This is called bacterial translocation (BT). Researchers think BT may cause liver disease to worsen. Objectives: - To study the mechanisms involved in BT in early and advanced liver disease. To find out whether BT causes liver disease to worsen. Eligibility: - People over age 18 with HCV and clinically stable liver disease. Design: Participants will be screened with medical history and physical exam. They will have blood tests and imaging studies. Participants will have 2 outpatient visits and a 3-day stay at the clinic. At visit 1, participants will have urine and blood tests. They will have a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan. A solution will be injected into a vein. The MRI scanner is a metal cylinder surrounded by a magnetic field. The participant will lie on a table that slides in and out of the cylinder. At visit 2, a substance will be injected into a vein and swallowed. Participants will then have blood drawn 5 times over 90 minutes. During the inpatient stay, serial blood tests will be drawn. Participants will give 2 stool samples and have another MRI. A needle will be inserted through the chest wall into a vein inside the liver, guided by ultrasound. The blood pressure inside this vein will be measured and blood will be drawn from it. About 1 inch of liver tissue will be removed. A study investigator will call participants to discuss all test results.

Azithromycin is an antibiotic currently prescribed continuously in cystic fibrosis patients. It was shown that this treatment taken every day or every week for 12 months, can improve the respiratory state of patients. From the second year of treatment, it would appear there is more profit to continue such treatment. The main objective is to study the association between continuous use of azithromycin and lung function measured by Forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), after two years of treatment.

Matching-adjusted indirect comparison of tobramycin solution (TIS) versus aztreonam lysine (AZLI) using TIS patient level clinical trial data and AZLI aggregated clinical trial data from published literature.

This study will involve 70 patients who attend the Alfred Hospital with acute or chronic heart failure as well as 30 age and gender matched control subjects. All participants will have their history taking and a physical examination to detect symptoms and signs of heart failure. The main objectives are for determining the benefit and usefulness of Fibroscan (Liver scan) in detecting liver stiffness (a condition caused by excess fluid build up in the liver which has a negative impact on the livers ability to function properly) in heart failure patients and for characterizing the incidence and severity of liver stiffness in this group of patients. After informed consent, a blood sample will be taken from all patients to assess their full blood examination, glucose, lipid profiles, renal function and so on. Then 24-48 hours after enrollment, the liver doctors will do the liver scan (Fibroscan) by transient elastography. All the data are recorded and further analysis will be assessed. In a small group of acute patients the blood tests and liver scan will be repeated just prior to their discharge. Optional Sub-study: For participants who consent to the optional sub-study another 20 ml of blood for serum liver fibrotic markers will be collected.

The aim of the study is to identify the parameters that are associated with nocturnal hypoventilation in children and adults with cystic fibrosis. Included patients will undergo a nocturnal evaluation of their gas exchange and sleep quality by actigraphy during their annual check up. The aim is thus to identify which parameters (such as lung function parameters) are associated with nocturnal hypercapnia or hypoxemia and/or poor sleep quality