Active clinical trials for "Hypertension, Portal"

Heptorenal syndrome (HRS) is divided into two types. A non-acute kidney injury (NAKI-HRS), which is predominantly related to end-stage disease and a more acute kidney injury (HRS-AKI). HRS-AKI is potentially reversible and develops subsequent to aggravation of a systemic circulatory vasodilatation, that triggers renal vasoconstriction and deteriorates renal perfusion and function. The albumin and terlipressin response is evaluated clinically, routinely for a week and reduces mortality with 23% compared to no treatment. Only 40-50% of the patients with HRS-AKI respond to the treatment with terlipressin. The treatment of hepatorenal syndrome (HRS-AKI) is aimed at improving blood flow to the kidneys. Flow changes associated to development of HRS have only sparsely been studied and not previously by MR technique and no previous studies have evaluated changes in flow induced by terlipressin. It has been hypothesized that development of HRS is associated to a deterioration in heart function with development of cardiomyopathy, which together with renal vasoconstriction leads to renal failure. Simultaneous MR-assessments of cardiac function and flows (especially the renal flow) in HRS-AKI have not previously been performed. The aim of the project is to develop new, fast and non-invasive methods to evaluate hemodynamic changes and individual pharmacological terlipressin response in patients with acute hepatorenal syndrome (type HRS-AKI) We expect a higher increase in renal blood flow in terlipressin-responders compared to terlipressin-non-responders and non-responders will generally have a lower basic renal flow and a decreased cardiac output. Study design and patients The study design is experimental and includes 30 cirrhotic patients with HRS-AKI. Patients with HRS-AKI are MR scanned before and 17 minutes after their first dose of terlipressin. ECHO is performed before first dose of Terlipressin and is repeated after one of the first doses of terlipressin. Clinically efficacy is defined in accordance to international guidelines at day-7 and 90 days mortality is registered. The screening period and treatments follow international and national guidelines for acute renal failure in patients with cirrhosis.

In the genesis and maintenance of PH associated with liver cirrhosis are two mechanisms that act synergistically. The first is an increase in hepatic vascular resistance, due in part to the disruption of liver structure inherent cirrhosis, and increased hepatic vascular tone is caused by the contraction of perivascular smooth muscle cells, myofibroblasts and hepatic stellate cells, which represents about 30% of global intrahepatic resistance and is believed to be due to the production Defective nitric oxide (NO). The second mechanism, which maintains and exacerbates HTP, is an increase of splanchnic blood flow caused by increased NO and other vasodilators at this level In this regard, we believe that in patients with compensated liver cirrhosis, with portal pressure gradient> 10 mmHg, both acute responders betablockers test as non-responders, the association of antifibrotic drugs and / or vasodilators, chronic liver selective May be beneficial in the control of portal hypertension

Patients with cirrhosis require endoscopic screening for large esophageal varices. The aims of this study were to determine the cost -effectiveness and patient preferences of a strategy employing abdominal computerized tomography (CT) as the initial screening test for identifying large esophageal varices. In a prospective evaluation,102 patients underwent both CT and endoscopic screening for gastroesophageal varices. Two radiologists read each CT independently; standard upper gastrointestinal endoscopy was the reference standard. Agreement between radiologists, and between endoscopists regarding size of varices was determined using kappa statistic. Cost-effectiveness analysis was performed to determine the optimal screening strategy for varices. Patient preference was assessed by questionnaire. CT was found to have an approximately 90% sensitivity in the identification of esophageal varices determined to be large on endoscopy, but only about 50% specificity. The sensitivity of CT in detecting gastric varices was 87%. In addition, a significant additional number of gastric varices, peri-esophageal varices, and extraluminal pathology were identified by CT but not identified by endoscopy. Patients overwhelmingly preferred CT over endoscopy . Agreement between radiologists was good regarding the size of varices (Kappa = 0.56), and exceeded agreement between endoscopists (Kappa = 0.36). Use of CT as the initial screening modality for the detection of varices was significantly more cost-effective compared to endoscopy irrespective of the prevalence of large varices. In conclusion, abdominal CT as the initial screening test for varices could be cost-effective. CT also permits evaluation of extra-luminal pathology that impacts management.

This clinical trial is a retrospective single-centre study. Research data will be acquired via patient histories stored in the hospital data system. Data of patients who received a Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt (TIPS) at the University Hospital Graz between 1.1.2004 and 31.12.2017 will be included into the study. The aim is to investigate the outcome (transplantation free survival, time to (re)occurrence of ascites, occurrence of hepatic encephalopathy) of patients with portal hypertension after TIPS.

Liver transplantation is the standard treatment for chronic advanced liver disease, whether or not associated with a primary liver tumor. The intraoperative bleeding and the need for blood transfusion, encountered in this major surgery are associated with increased morbidity and mortality. However, this hemorrhagic risk has been drastically reduced in the last 20 years and liver transplants without the use of blood products are now possible. Indeed, improvements in medical and surgical techniques associated with a better understanding of the pathophysiology of the cirrhotic patient have enabled this advance. One of the targeted therapeutic strategies is the control of portal hypertension. Several treatments have been sought, such as the use of splanchnic vasoconstrictors (such as vasopressin) and hypovolemic phlebotomy. These techniques reduce portal pressure and seem to reduce intraoperative bleeding with, even, a protective effect on kidney function. Their single-use or their combination is currently used in certain centers of expertise in liver transplantation. However, the hemodynamic effects of the combination of these 2 treatments on portal pressure has never been demonstrated. In this study, the effect of vasopressin, combined with a hypovolemic phlebotomy, on portal pressure in cirrhotic patients undergoing liver transplantation will be evaluated.

Liver cirrhosis with the further development of portal hypertension implies structural and vasculature alteration in the portosplenic circulation. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy is the standard of care for the detection and treatment of esophageal varices, as esophageal varices serve as a surrogate for estimating a portal pressure gradient > 10 mmHG. Endoscopic ultrasound evaluation allows the detection of peri-esophageal collateral veins, perforating veins and para-esophageal collateral veins, which has demonstrated to be effective for the prediction of esophageal varices recurrence after variceal eradication. The investigators aimed to compare esophagogastroduodenoscopy versus endoscopic ultrasound evaluation for the early diagnosis of portal hypertension in cirrhotic patients.

Aim of this thesis is to predict the incidence of esophageal ulcer bleeding after endoscopic management of esophageal varices. This study will be in the department of Tropical Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Tanta University, in at least six months in the period from august 2014 to march 2015 or until the target number of patients reached whichever is longer.

Background: In patients with cirrhosis on secondary prevention of variceal rebleeding with non-selective beta-blockers (NSBBs), the risk of rebleeding and death is markedly higher in those failing to achieve a good hemodynamic response (HVPG reduction ≥20% of baseline values or ≤12mmHg). However a substantial proportion of non-responders will never rebleed, thus appearing protected by NSBBs although non-detected by HVPG response. This low sensitivity hampers risk stratification and diminishes the cost-effectiveness of assessing the hemodynamic response to NSBBs. This is particularly relevant in prevention of rebleeding since in this scenario the risk of rebleeding and of other portal hypertension related complications is very high, which calls for early institution of effective therapy. Baseline HVPG bears prognostic significance with regards to risk of developing varices, decompensation, hepatocellular carcinoma and death1,2,7,8,18-27. However, no studies have investigated whether adding data from baseline HVPG may improve the sensitivity of the criteria defining a good or poor hemodynamic response. Hypothesis: Adding data from baseline HVPG may improve the sensitivity of the criteria defining a good or poor hemodynamic response. Objective: Exploring the prognostic value of basal HVPG that better discriminate those non-responders who do not re-bleed under prophylactic treatment with NSBBs. Methods: Observational cohort study. Training set: patients from two longitudinal studies conducted at the Hepatic Hemodynamic laboratory of the Hospital Clínic of Barcelona to assess the prognostic value of HVPG changes during continuous therapy with NSBBs for preventing variceal rebleeding. Validation set for chronic hemodynamic response: patients from two longitudinal studies conducted at the Hepatic Hemodynamic laboratory of the Hospital de Sant Pau of Barcelona to assess the prognostic value of HVPG changes during continuous therapy with NSBBs for preventing variceal rebleeding; a third cohort composed of patients undergoing acute hemodynamic response to intravenous propranolol will be studied. All patients received a preplanned follow-up in the outpatient clinic at 1, 3, and 6 months, and every 6 months thereafter in the original studies. End-point: bleeding from portal hypertensive sources (esophago-gastric varices or portal hypertensive gastropathy) (defined according to Baveno criteria 32), death or liver transplantation. Ethical aspects: All patients have given their written informed consent to use their data in the original studies.

The purpose of this study is to determine whether simvastatin is effective in the prevention of progression of porta hypertension in compensated cirrhosis patients.

Investigation of the effects of the new Abbvie direct acting anti-viral (DAA) treatment of chronic viral hepatitis C infection on the macrophage specific activation marker soluble CD163, portal hypertension determined by the hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG), and metabolic liver function determined by the galactose elimination capacity (GEC) test and the functional hepatic nitrogen clearance (FHNC).