View clinical trials related to Cholestasis, Intrahepatic.
Filter by:Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) is a liver disorder of pregnancy that typically presents in late pregnancy with generalised itching. ICP is associated with an increased risk of pregnancy complications, including premature labour, fetal distress, and stillbirth. Models of the fetal heart (using cells from rodents) have shown that high bile acids levels cause an abnormal heart rhythm (arrhythmia), which may be the cause of stillbirth. High levels of bile acids also cause preterm labour in animal models. This pilot study aims to assess whether severe ICP, defined as maternal serum bile acid levels ≥40μmol/L, is associated with abnormal fetal heart rhythms and abnormal myometrial contractility, which may lead to preterm birth. Fetal heart rhythms and myometrial contractility will be recorded using a portable electrocardiogram (ECG) device, the Monica AN24. This monitors the fetal heart and myometrial activity via stickers applied to the mother's abdomen. It also records the maternal ECG. It will also study women with uncomplicated pregnancy, in order to make comparisons. The importance of maternal position during sleep has also more recently been established, with some studies demonstrating an association between the risk of stillbirth and the position the mother was sleeping in. Work by Stone et al published this year has shown that the maternal sleep position has a significant impact on the fetal sleep state and fetal heart rate, (in particular something called the fetal RMSSD value). The researchers therefore wish to identify any potential correlation between fetal heart arrhythmia and maternal sleep position. To do this they will use a Zephyr BioPatchTM which provides a clear indication of whether the patient was in left lateral, right lateral or supine position.
Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy is the most common liver disease in pregnancy. It is is a pregnancy-specific liver disorder with onset mainly in the third trimester of pregnancy. ICP is characterized by pruritus, elevated serum fasting bile salts and transaminases and an increased risk of adverse fetal outcomes. Serum autotaxin levels were found highly sensitive and specific biomarker to to differentiate ICP from other pregnancy-related liver disorders or pruritic dermatoses. The purpose of the study is to determine the diagnostic accuracy of serum autotaxin activity in cholestasis of pregnancy.
The bile acids has been demonstrated to cause arrhythmia and abnormal calcium dynamics in cultured neonatal rat cardiomyocytes. Bile acids may alter maternal cardiomyocyte function like fetus.Increased P-wave duration and P-wave dispersion have been reported in various clinical settings. The investigators hypothesized that PWD and p wave duration may affect in pregnancy with ICP.
The aim of this study is to investigate maternal and fetal serum IL-17 levels in pregnant women with intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy and to find out if Th-17 cells have a role in progress of intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy.
Cholestasis is a condition in which bile is not properly transported from the liver to the small intestine. Cholestasis can be caused by an array of childhood diseases, including the genetic diseases Alagille syndrome (ALGS), alpha-1 antitrypsin (a-1AT) deficiency, bile acid synthesis and metabolism defects, and progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis (PFIC) or benign recurrent intrahepatic cholestasis(BRIC). This study will investigate the natural history and progression of the four previously mentioned cholestatic liver diseases to provide a better understanding of the causes and effects of the diseases.