Prospective Clinical Study of the Role of the Immune Response, in Relation to Diet, in Patients...
Chronic Hepatitis C VirusNon Alcoholic Fatty Liver DiseaseChronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are characterized by a spectrum of pathological conditions ranging from an early stage of inflammation and fibrosis up to more advanced disease conditions, such as hepatocellular carcinoma. The prevalence of NAFLD is between 10 and 25% of the population, with large differences in age and ethnic groups, while it is well known that HCV infection is a major cause of chronic liver disease in Western countries. For both diseases the progression of liver damage is in close correlation with the lifestyle of patients (eg., nutrition, physical activity, ingestion of alcohol, etc.). In fact, it was shown that feeding imbalances may have implications in altering the normal immune functions of the subjects, suggesting that the metabolic and the immune systems are closely related to each other. Although it is well known the negative role of obesity on the progression of NAFLD and HCV liver diseases, the pathogenic mechanism underlying the alterations related to the immune response is not yet fully understood. Insulin resistance, altered lipid metabolism, lipid peroxidation, oxidative stress and mitochondrial alterations are pathogenic mechanisms that induce liver damage and its progression, both in NAFLD and in HCV infection. Recent studies suggest that the evolution of viral infections and chronic inflammation in NAFLD are deeply influenced by CD4+ T helper cells expressing IL-17 , defined as T helper 17 (Th17) cells. Broadening the knowledge on the role of diet in the course of NAFLD and HCV infection in the activation of Th17 cells and in the alteration of some of their functions, will allow to shed light on the pathogenic mechanisms underlying the progression of immune-mediated diseases. Moreover, this investigation will allow to understand whether Th17 cells may have a role in the diminished response to therapy in patients who have high cholesterol levels. If the results will confirm our hypothesis, this study will provide useful informations for the clinical management of patients with both steatosis and chronic HCV infection. The data obtained can also be used for the development of new therapeutic strategies directed to modulate the antiviral immune response. All patients will undergo clinical and instrumental assessment depending on the type of pathology. Patients will be required to follow a normocaloric low cholesterol diet for a period of 30 days. The prospective clinical study does not present any form of additional risk for the patients and will be conducted in accordance with the principles established by the Declaration of Helsinki and with the standards of Good Clinical Practice (GCP). The study does not require any additional costs.
Efficacy and Safety of Modified Anti-tubercular Regimens in Treatment of Tuberculosis in Patients...
Chronic Liver Disease With TuberclosisDuring the Study: Subject is required to visit every week for the first 2 months and then every month till completion of study or as and when required The usual symptomatic and supportive treatment of Chronic Liver Disease, including use of antiviral, will be given to all patients. Effort will be made to avoid use of other hepatotoxic drug(s) during Anti-Tubercular Treatment. Liver function tests (LFT) will be done weekly during first 2 months then at one month interval or as when required. The treatment efficacy of Anti-Tubercular Treatment (ATT) will be made on the basis of clinical, biochemical, microbiological and imaging parameters at months 2, 4, 7 and 9. Patients not improving at 4 weeks after initiation of treatment will be shifted to alternative regimens and will be excluded from the study.
Factors Associated With End Stage Liver Disease
CirrhosisHepatic Encephalopathy2 more100 ambulatory cirrhotic patients attending a liver transplant clinic will undergo a comprehensive clinical evaluation for severity of liver disease, anemia, depression, and fatigue. Fatigue will be assessed with the FIS and sub-maximal exercise capacity with the 6-minute walk test (6MWT), a standardized exercise test that measures the distance that a patient is capable of walking in 6 minutes (6MWD). Depression will be assessed by using three well-known questionnaires. The SF-36, Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI-II), EQ-5D, and the Psychological General Well-Being Index (PGWBI). Univariate analysis will be performed to select the factors that potentially are associated with the scores as indicated by a P value <.20; the selected factors will then be entered in a stepwise regression to create a multivariate model giving the combination of factors that are significantly associated with the measure of fatigue and depression. Hemoglobin (Hb) levels will then be added to the model in order to test its significance while controlling for the other factors.
Autologous Bone Marrow Stem Cells Infusion for the Treatment of Liver Diseases.
Liver DiseasesThis study evaluates the effect of autologous bone marrow stem cells infusion (ABMSCi) therapy for liver diseases.Treatment group will receive ABMSCi and drugs therapy ,while control group will only receive drugs therapy.
Palliative Care for Non-Malignant Diseases (COMPASS Trial)
Liver DiseasesLiver Cirrhosis1 moreThe purpose of this study is to evaluate, through a randomized controlled trial, the impact of integrated comprehensive palliative care services on time to first hospital readmission and other hospital utilization outcomes, quality of life, and patient/caregiver outcomes. The intervention includes comprehensive, standardized palliative care services for adult hepatology cirrhosis patients for which prognosis is poor.
A Randomized Controlled Trial of Effects of DAIry PROtein Products on Liver Disease Severity and...
Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver DiseaseMetabolic Syndrome7 moreThe overarching aim of this project is to investigate effects of dietary interventions on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) severity and to delineate the relationship with improvements in metabolic aberrations in liver-, fat- and muscle tissue, using a panel of state-of-the art techniques. The investigators will conduct a randomized clinical trial with three arms to investigate if micellar cassein isolate and whey protein supplementation as part of a high-protein diet during 4 weeks of weight maintenance and 20 weeks of hypocaloric intake (30% energy restriction) inducing modest weight loss (5% of baseline weight) has beneficial effects on NAFLD severity and metabolic aberrations compared to normal diet in NAFLD patients. It is hypothesized that: (i) a high-protein diet improves liver disease severity and metabolic function compared to a normal protein diet; (ii) Cassein provides greater benefits than whey; and(iii) these effects manifest during both weight maintenance and weight loss.
The Effect of Consecutive Fecal Microbiota Transplantation on Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease...
NAFLDNonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a disease of alarmingly increasing prevalence, linked to metabolic, cardiovascular and malignant morbidity and without any officially approved treatment. It is increasingly recognized that the gut microbiome is implicated in the pathogenesis and progression of numerous chronic diseases, including NAFLD. Through the so-called gut-liver axis, the liver is exposed to gut-bacterial-derived products, including toxins (lipopolysaccharides), enzymes (methylamines), alcohol, and short-chain fatty acids (mainly acetate, propionate, and butyrate), that may lead to accumulation of triglycerides, inflammatory responses, oxidative stress and accompanying damage to the hepatocytes. The primary objective is to study the effect of consecutive FMT on liver fat accumulation measured by Magnetic Resonance Images (MRI) LiverMultiscan at 12 weeks. Secondary objectives are weight, waist, blood pressure, metabolic parameters (including glucose, cholesterol, pancreatic beta-cell function, HOMA-IR), objective and subjective stress indicators, gut-microbiota and bile composition and liver enzymes. Stool samples will be collected for microbiota analysis at time point 0, 3, 6 and 12 weeks.
Effect of Branch Chain Amino Acid Therapy on Sarcopenia in Children With Chronic Liver Disease....
SarcopeniaCirrhosis1 moreSarcopenia is now a well-known complication of cirrhosis and various studies, including pediatric studies, have recognized it as a poor prognostic factor. At the molecular level, branch chain amino acids upregulate muscle protein synthesis by acting through the mTOR pathway. Although effect of Branch Chain Amino acids has been studied extensively with respect to hepatic encephalopathy in cirrhotic adults, there is paucity of literature on the effect of BCAA on sarcopenia and frailty. Also, there is very limited data on the effect of BCAA therapy in children with chronic liver disease. Through this study, we aim to assess the effect of BCAA therapy on Mid Arm Muscle Area in cirrhotic children after 12 weeks. Our secondary objective will be to study the prevalence of sarcopenia in children with CLD using cut-off as Mid Arm Muscle area less than 2SD (using published centiles) and muscle thickness (quadriceps and biceps) on ultrasound, and to study serum follistatin levels in those with or without sarcopenia. Other secondary objectives will include determination of mTOR gene expression at baseline and 7 days of BCAA therapy and change in creatinine height index after 12 weeks of BCAA therapy, occurrence of clinically significant events in the BCAA group vs placebo group and to study the increase in MAMA and USG muscle thickness after 6 months of BCAA therapy.
Avatrombopag in Patients With End-stage Liver Disease and Thrombocytopenia
Liver FailureThrombocytopenia1 moreEnd stage liver disease is prone to thrombocytopenia. This study is a multi-center, randomized, prospective, randomized controlled Phase IV Clinical trial to discuss the Efficacy and Safety of Avatrombopag in Patients with End-stage Liver Disease and Thrombocytopenia.
Preoperative Evaluation of the Remaining Part of the Liver for Liver Resection
Liver DiseasesReview the outcomes of the current treatments modalities. Give an effective treatment . Improve the outcome of these patients and decease rate of recurrence and complications. An adequate future liver remnant (FLR) reduces the risk of postoperative liver failure after major hepatectomy. incurs a risk of postoperative liver dysfunction and infection and there is a lack of objective evidence relating residual liver volume to these complications