Active clinical trials for "Liver Diseases"

The purpose of this research is to compare the classical procedure with intrahepatic Glisson's approach for laparoscopic anatomical hepatectomy. The validity, feasibility and limitations were assessed objectively through our clinical prospective study. The investigators expect laparoscopic anatomical hepatectomy with intrahepatic Glisson's approach is safe, effective and feasible.

S-1 is a new chemotherapy drug. Some phase II trials showed S-1 is effective in Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC). S-1 combined with calcium folinate (SL) showed very good efficiency and safety in colorectal cancer (CRC). The short duration (two weekly regimen) is better than common course 4 week regimen in tolerance. So the investigators want to examine the efficiency and safety of SL one week on and one week off regimen in HCC.

To search for suitable pharmacodynamic biomarkers, i.e., with high specificity for calcineurin inhibition and most affected by inter-individual variability, our works aimed at exploring the pharmacodynamics of CNI, the strength and variability of signal translation along the calcineurin pathway, as well as the steps where sources of internal (genetic) or external variability are the most influential. In order to achieve this, we assessed simultaneously NFAT1 translocation into the nucleus of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) (NFTA1 being the main NAFT isoform in resting and activated lymphocytes), the intracellular expression of IL-2 in CD3+, CD4+ and CD8+ T cell subsets and the membrane expression of CD25 (IL-2Rα), a surface marker of T cells activation, in T cells at large. A non-interventional clinical trial was set up in healthy volunteers, patients registered on a liver transplantation waiting list (WLP) and liver transplant recipients (LTR). A different question was addressed in each group: The healthy volunteer study (n=35): explored TAC PD along the calcineurin pathway by exposing PBMC ex-vivo; modelled signal translation along this cascade; examined the interindividual variability of TAC PD parameters; and investigated the sources of the variability observed and their contribution at each step of the calcineurin pathway. Furthermore, it allowed us to evaluate the analytical variability of our techniques as well as the intra-individual variability of TAC PD parameters. WLP (n=19) were enrolled to confirm in patients with liver diseases the results obtained in healthy volunteers, as well as to test the potential influence of their initial disease on the ex-vivo pharmacodynamics of TAC. The aims of the transversal study of LTR on CNI (n=80) were to further explore the interindividual variability in the PD of CNI in realistic clinical conditions, i.e. in situations of residual PD activities under tacrolimus or cyclosporine exposure, and the potential pharmacogenetic (PG) sources of such variability. The (still small) group of liver transplant patients (n=9) enrolled immediately before transplantation and followed-up with serial monitoring along the first year post-transplantation was intended to explore the relationships between CNI PD and clinical responses.

HBV related Liver disease is a common medical problem in China. An estimated 7.18% of the Chinese (about 93 million) is infected with hepatitis B, and most of the HBV- related hepatitis can developed into liver cirrhosis. Liver transplantation is the only available life saving treatment for patients with end stage liver disease. However, lack of donors, surgical complications, rejection, and high cost are serious problems. In preclinical studies the investigators have demonstrated that G-CSF mobilized PBSC from patients with HBV related liver cirrhosis could differentiate into functional hepatocyte and autologous PBSC transplantation can significantly improve liver synthetic function. But further studied was needed to confirm the safety and efficacy of PBSC transplantation. In this study, a prospective, randomized, parallel clinical study was designed. The patients with HBV-related liver cirrhosis will undergo administration of human autologous PBSCs via hepatic artery to evaluate the safety and efficacy of human autologous PBSCs treatment for these patients.

The purpose of the study is to compare the impact of atorvastatin 20mg qd and Vitamin E 300mg qd therapy on liver fat content in patients with type 2 diabetes associated with high LDL-C and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of multiple infusions of mononuclear bone marrow cells in patients with chronic liver diseases.

This is a randomized, open label, phase IV, multicenter study for efficacy and safety of lamivudine versus entecarvir therapy in HBV-related advanced liver disease patients with high viral load and normal or slightly elevated transaminase.

We hypothesize that insulin resistance is characteristic of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease as compared to age, gender, non-diabetic BMI-matched control subjects, both healthy and those with non-cirrhotic, non-steatotic liver disease.

Patients will be randomized to lifestyle changes alone or lifestyle changes associated with iron depletion. Iron depletion will be achieved by removing 350 cc of blood every 10-15 days according to baseline hemoglobin values and venesection tolerance, until ferritin < 30 ng/ml and transferrin saturation < 25%. Weekly phlebotomies will be allowed for carriers of the C282Y HFE mutation. Smaller phlebotomies (250 cc) will be allowed for carriers of beta-thalassaemia trait. Maintenance phlebotomies (as much as required) will then be instituted to keep iron stores depleted (ferritin < 50 ng/ml and transferrin saturation < 25%, MCV <85 fl). Before starting treatment, patients will undergo ECG, and in the presence of hyperglycemia or hypertension also echocardiography (see exclusion criteria). Change in diabetes medication dosage or start of new therapy will be allowed for HbA1C values <6% or ≥ 7%. According to accepted criteria, previously untreated patients should be treated with metformin. If possible, newly diagnosed hypertension should be treated with Ace-inhibitors.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of rosiglitazone alone compared with rosiglitazone plus metformin or rosiglitazone plus losartan in the treatment of biopsy proven nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). This study was designed to answer the question: are there differences in the efficacy (as measured by histopathology and insulin resistance) of three different therapeutic modalities used to treat NASH?