Active clinical trials for "Liver Diseases"

In this study, the investigators aim to increase the liver tissue level of GSH in NAFLD patients by short-term dietary serine supplementation and improve their liver function by lowering the oxidative stress resulting from hepatic steatosis.

This study plans to learn more about a new test to look at liver function, the HepQuant-Shunt (HQ-Shunt). The HQ-Shunt is being evaluated for safety and effectiveness as an alternative to Hepatic Venous Pressure Gradient testing in patients with liver disease.

HYPOTHESIS: The investigators hypothesize that sonoelastography (SE) will provide accurate quantitative measurements that can be used to stage liver fibrosis in patients with chronic liver disease. To measure liver stiffness with sonoelastography in adults with suspect diffuse liver disease who will undergo non-focal liver biopsy as part of their routine clinical care To assess the sensitivity and specificity of sonoelastography for the detection and staging of liver fibrosis To evaluate the effect of steatosis and inflammation on the estimation of liver fibrosis using sonoelastography

Ascites is a frequent complication of patients with portal hypertension. As portal hypertension progresses, a percentage of these patients develop refractory ascites. Management options at that point include either TIPS or intermittent large volume paracentesis (LVP), with its attendant risks, Portal hypertension is accompanied by systemic circulatory dysfunction (decreased systemic vascular resistance and systolic BP), which is exacerbated by large volume paracentesis, with resultant renal and cardiac dysfunction. There are limited options for managing patients with acute decompensation, such as hepatorenal syndrome, although midodrine and other vasoconstrictors have been used in such patients. Midodrine has not been used as a possible therapeutic for ascites. Midodrine however, has been found to change the hemodynamics related to portal hypertension and ascites. There has been also change in mediators related to renal and circulation in studies of short duration (7 days) but not found in studies of 1 month duration, however the clinical effects of midodrine is found for longer duration in other similar conditions. The purpose of the study is to assess the utility of midodrine in patients with obvious systemic circulatory dysfunction (hypotension) in improving the outcome of patients with refractory ascites and change in hemodynamic parameters and its mediators. Specific endpoints include: 1) an objective reduction of the volume/rate of accumulation of ascites and 2) a decrease in the frequency of LVP.

Patients with chronic liver disease are at high risk of developing liver scarring (fibrosis), with ultimate risks of cirrhosis and liver cancer that may require liver transplant. The investigators would like to develop non invasive advanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) techniques (MR diffusion, perfusion and elastography) to assess the degree of liver damage in patients with chronic liver disease. These techniques combined could reach high diagnostic performance for detection of liver fibrosis; and could decrease the number of liver biopsies, which have risks and sample only a small portion of the liver.

Liver cancer and hepatitis B are health disparities for Asian Americans, and hepatitis C is a rising problem. Little is known about how to improve the quality of health care Asian Americans receive for viral hepatitis. Technology, specifically mobile applications, can provide a flexible and efficient way to address these challenges. This project seeks to develop, implement, and test an intervention to increase hepatitis B and C screening for Asian Americans in 2 healthcare systems in San Francisco. The research team will develop, implement, and evaluate the efficacy of an interactive, patient- centered mobile app for use on a tablet computer to increase hepatitis B and C screening among unscreened Asian Americans age 18 and older. The team will use their experience in health promotion to develop the intervention by working with patients, community leaders and advocates, clinical staff, healthcare providers, and healthcare system administrators from a county safety net system and an academic primary care practice in the San Francisco Bay Area. The mobile application will include video clips with a physician (Video Doctor) addressing patient concerns regarding hepatitis B and C screening in the patient's preferred language, English, Chinese, or Vietnamese. A patient who has not been screened for hepatitis B will answer questions about his or her characteristics and preferences using the mobile application. The mobile application will then show 30-60 seconds video clips with messages that address the patient's responses related to hepatitis B screening and that are delivered by an actor playing a physician. Those who are born between 1945 and 1965 also receive messages about hepatitis C screening. At the end, the tablet computer will generate a provider alert to let the treating provider know what the patient's preferences are regarding testing for viral hepatitis. Once developed, the intervention will then be used in combination with a physician panel notification and tested against physician panel notification only in a randomized controlled trial to see which approach is better in increasing the rate of hepatitis B and C screening. The team will also work with the 2 healthcare system to ensure that the interventions will be practical and easily adopted once the study is over. The findings of this project will greatly expand understanding about how to use technology- based interventions to improve quality of healthcare in diverse patient populations.

Participants will be persons with type 2 diabetes who are likely to have fatty liver disease. The investigators think that this medication will reduce fatty liver. The investigators will use an MRS (a non invasive method using magnets) to evaluate liver fat before and after subjects take a diabetes medication. The investigators will also collect a small amount of blood to measure liver, kidney and hormone functions. This will be done 4 times. Also, at the time of the subject gets their first dose of medication they will have a DEXA (low exposure x-ray often used in clinical practice to measure bone density and body composition). The goal of all of these studies is to determine whether the study drug lowers liver fat.

The aim of the study is to confirm that the new generation state of the art breath analyzer gives equivalent results to the previous model of the Exalenz breath analyzer.

The current project is designed as a 30-day pilot trial to demonstrate the safety and tolerability of resveratrol therapy in overweight adolescents to decrease liver fat, and improve insulin sensitivity to prevent type 2 diabetes.

To evaluate the efficacy of continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) during orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) in clearing excess solutes and improving acid-base parameters. The investigators hypothesize that the use of intra-operative CRRT in OLT recipients is associated with increased solute removal and improved acid-base statues when compared to controls who do not receive CRRT