View clinical trials related to Liver Cirrhosis.
Filter by:This trial is conducted in Asia and Europe. The trial is planned to investigate the effectiveness and safety of NovoSeven® in patients with advanced cirrhosis and active variceal bleeding.
Cirrhotic patients undergoing hepatic resection have a mortality rate near 10%, and 30 to 70% of them develop severe complications. These failures are mainly due to hepatic insufficiency. Studies have already shown benefits of oral nutritional supplements in ORL, digestive, and cardiac surgery. We aimed to ascertain whether this nutritional, immune-enhancing supplementation, administered 7 days before and 3 days after surgery, could improve liver function and postoperative host defences in patients with liver cancer resection.
In order to determine the clinical application potential of adult stem cells we propose to investigate the safety and toxicity of infusing adult stem cells in the hepatic artery or portal vein of five patients with chronic liver insufficiency and to identify any clinical benefit if such occurs. Objectives: 1. To assess safety and treatment related toxicities 2. To determine clinical benefit or deterioration by monitoring changes in liver function
Primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) is a disease of the liver, which predominantly affects women. It causes slowly progressive liver disease, which eventually causes liver failure, requiring a liver transplant. Several different studies of large patient cohorts indicate that the cause of this disease is likely due to a combination of factors including genetic and environmental. PBC is associated with several other "autoimmune diseases" - recently a gene has been identified to be abnormal in individuals with another autoimmune liver disease, namely rheumatoid arthritis. This gene usually tells the body when to switch off an immune response. This study plans to identify whether individuals diagnosed with PBC have a similar abnormality in this gene called protein Tyrosine Phosphatase.
This study will examine the effect of S-adenosyl methionine (SAMe) on itching and fatigue in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis, a disease of the small bile ducts in the liver. Ursodiol, the only currently available treatment for biliary cirrhosis, does not cure the disease, and many people continue to have symptoms or liver test abnormalities despite treatment. SAMe is a naturally occurring substance found in most cells of the body. The highest levels of the substance are produced by the liver, where it helps to rid the body of toxins and breakdown products of metabolism. Studies in Europe suggest that SAMe may help to: 1) decrease the fatigue and itching that are common in persons with liver problems, and 2) decrease levels of liver enzymes in the blood, suggesting that it may decrease the amount of liver injury. Patients 21 years of age or older with primary biliary cirrhosis who are taking ursodiol and have symptoms of itching or fatigue may be eligible for this study. Candidates are screened with a medical history, physical examination, review of medical records, routine blood tests, and a symptoms rating scale. Participants stop all medications for itching 4 weeks before starting the study, but continue to take ursodiol during the 42-week trial. On entering the study, patients are assigned to take either SAMe or placebo tablets twice a day for 12 weeks. While taking the medications, they are followed in the clinic every 2 weeks for the first month and then every 4 weeks to fill out symptoms questionnaires and have a short medical evaluation and blood tests. At the end of 12 weeks, treatment is interrupted for a 2-week "wash-out" period, after which patients begin a 12-week crossover treatment; that is, patients who were taking SAMe are switched to placebo, and those who were taking placebo are switched to SAMe. After completing the second 12-week treatment course, patients come to the clinic at 4, 8, and 12 weeks to fill out symptoms questionnaires and have a medical evaluation and blood tests. At the last visit, patients are told which type of tablet they received during the two courses of treatment. SAMe is available without prescription in many forms as an over-the-counter medication.
Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) present in cirrhotic patients induces severe circulatory dysfunction, which results in renal failure in up to 30% of the patients. Renal failure is an important prognostic marker, representing the major predictive factor of in-hospital mortality. Recent studies have shown that plasma volume expansion with albumin associated with cefotaxime in patients with SBP is more efficient to prevent renal failure than cefotaxime treatment alone. The in-hospital and three-month mortality rates, furthermore, were significantly lower in the group treated with albumin. It is not known if other bacterial infections unrelated to SBP represent a risk factor for the development of renal failure among cirrhotic patients. The researcher's group has recently performed a study to evaluate the incidence, characteristics and outcome, of renal failure in patients with cirrhosis and bacterial infections unrelated to SBP associated with the systemic inflammatory response syndrome (Terra, unpublished results). Among a total of 106 patients, 29 (27%) presented renal failure during the course of infection. Renal failure was characterized by intense renal vasoconstriction (intrarenal resistive index of 0.83 +/- 0.09, measured by Doppler ultrasound), reduction of mean arterial pressure and an important activation of endogenous vasoconstriction systems. The three-month survival probability of patients with infection and renal failure was 34 %, much lower than that of patients with infection but not presenting renal failure (87%, p<0.0001). These results suggest that the development of renal failure in patients with cirrhosis and bacterial infections different from SBP, associated with signs of a systemic inflammatory response, is very frequent and results in a very poor prognosis. Taken as a whole, these data strongly indicate the need to consider these patients as candidates for liver transplantation and to plan strategies for its prevention. The objective of this project, therefore, is to evaluate if the plasma volume expansion with albumin, associated with conventional antibiotic therapy, can prevent the development of renal failure and increase survival rates in cirrhotic patients with bacterial infections unrelated to spontaneous bacterial peritonitis.
The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of terlipressin on myocardial perfusion and renal function. Hypothesis: Significant improvement of renal function reflected by: glomerular filtration rate (GFR), renal blood flow (RBF), excretion of salt and metabolites in the urine and related hormones and peptides in the blood. No effect on the systolic function of the heart.
This clinical trial compares a combination of two drugs that constrict blood vessels (Octreotide LAR and Midodrine) to albumin after large volume paracentesis. Subjects have cirrhosis and ascites.
This research study was conducted to compare the safety and effectiveness of the investigational medication, LdT (Telbivudine) versus Lamivudine, a drug currently approved by the US, European and Asian Health Authorities for the treatment of Hepatitis B infection. The results for patients taking LdT will be compared to results for patients taking lamivudine.
The goal of this study is to find an effective and well-tolerated medical therapy for itching due to liver disease. Persons with primary biliary cirrhosis or chronic hepatitis C are currently being enrolled in the study. Persons participating in the study are given sertraline, a medication which is also often used for depression,to treat their itching. The dose is gradually increased as the effect on itching and any other potential side effects are carefully monitored.