Active clinical trials for "Liver Cirrhosis"

The hepatoadrenal syndrome has been well described in the literature and is known to be associated with poorer outcomes in both stable and critically ill cirrhotic patients. In chronic liver disease, adrenal (and more specifically cortisol) insufficiency is thought to be a byproduct of altered lipid metabolism that results in decreased HDL production and thus decreased delivery of cholesterol to the adrenal for subsequent corticosteroid production. Studies to date have implicated lecithin-cholesterol acetyltransferase (LCAT) as the key enzyme which is deficient in some cirrhotic patients, leading to an impaired ability to esterify cholesterol and thus a loss of normal cellular functioning and membrane stability. The investigators seek to quantify this LCAT deficiency in a cohort of cirrhotic patients and demonstrate its association with various abnormal physiologies associated with chronic liver disease, including spur cell anemia, low HDL levels, and adrenal insufficiency. Hospitalized cirrhotic patients at UVA that meet study eligibility criteria will be approached by a member of the study team to obtain consent for participation. If a patient agrees to become a study subject, they will have an approximate total of 35ml of blood drawn the following morning. Lab tests to be performed include: peripheral blood smear, lipid panel, free cortisol, cortisol binding globulin, serum cholesterol esters (surrogate for LCAT enzyme activity), and a standard-dose cortisol stimulation test. The latter involves blood drawn with the initial collection, administration of an intravenous 250mcg dose of synthetic ACTH, and then repeat small-volume blood draws at 30 minutes and 60 minutes later. Subjects will be classified as adrenally sufficient or insufficient on the basis of as standard-dose cortisol stimulation test. Variables of interest for comparison between the groups include MELD score, Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) classification, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels, presence of spur cell anemia, serum cholesterol ester percentage (surrogate for LCAT enzymatic activity), cortisol binding globulin levels, and free cortisol levels. Student's t-test and Chi Square tests will be utilized to determine significance; a p <0.05 value will be used as our threshold for significance. If multiple factors are found to be significantly different in a univariate fashion between classification groups, a multivariate logistic regression analysis will be performed for adjusted analysis. The investigators will also seek to define any correlations between variables. Furthermore, the investigators will assess correlation between MELD score and serum cholesterol ester percentage, spur cell anemia, HDL levels, cortisol binding globulin levels, and free cortisol levels; similar correlate analysis will be done using CTP classification instead of MELD score.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the combination of ambrisentan and tadalafil in reducing mPAP to below 35mmHg in patients with moderate to severe Portopulmonary Hypertension (POPH) as a means to candidacy for liver transplantation.

Evaluate the feasibility of the Liver Incyte system for liver elasticity measurement in healthy volunteers and patients with liver fibrosis. To evaluate the discriminatory ability of elasticity measurements generated by Liver Incyte for healthy volunteers versus patients with liver fibrosis in comparison to FibroScan measurements.

Several noninvasive radiological techniques have been investigated for the diagnosis of liver fibrosis and cirrhosis among patients with chronic infection with hepatitis B virus or hepatitis C virus. Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW-MRI) is a particularly appealing method for the diagnosis of liver fibrosis. The aims of this study are to evaluate the accuracy of DW-MRI in patients with chronic viral hepatitis for determining the stage of liver fibrosis.

The purpose of this study is to determine whether TIPS combined with variceal embolization are effective in the prevention of variceal rebleeding in patients with liver cirrhosis.

The purpose of this study is to test the safety and efficacy of Civacir® to prevent the recurrence of Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) after liver transplant.

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

The purpose of this study is to determine whether transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) combined with large spontaneous portosystemic shunts embolization are effective in the prevention of hepatic encephalopathy (HE).

The purpose of this study is to determine if SWE and Fibrotest®/ Fibromax®, alone or associated, are effective methods to assess liver fibrosis in children.

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.