View clinical trials related to Hepatic Encephalopathy.
Filter by:This multi-centric study analyses the effect of intravenous branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) on overt HE in patients with ACLF. The investigators aim to study the efficacy of combining intravenous BCAA with lactulose versus lactulose alone, ammonia measures, endotoxin, metabolomics, and cerebral edema in the medical management of overt HE in patients with ACLF. The study will also access the impact on overall survival and improvement in the grade of HE.
It has been identified that impaired liver function, as occurs in patients with liver cirrhosis, prevents proper conjugation of glucuronic acid with bilirubin; as a result, unconjugated bilirubin accumulates in the blood, and conjugated bilirubin is markedly altered to form diglucuronides or monoglucuronides. However, in the development and progress of acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) there is not enough information about these processes and the possible concentration levels that they can take. Also Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a reversible complication, but with a high mortality rate in patients with acute or chronic liver failure, as well as a consequence of the formation of portosystemic shunts.
One of the most significant goals of hepatic encephalopathy (HE) treatment is to reduce ammonia levels by lowering its synthesis and enhancing its detoxification which can be achieved by using non-absorbable disaccharides, antibiotics, branched-chain amino acids (BCAA), L-ornithine L-aspartate (LOLA), and probiotics. LOLA decreases ammonia, therefore, it is presumed to decrease agitated delirium in HE patients and thus decrease their need for other sedatives. On the other hand, BCAA improve mental function in HE patients by increasing the detoxification of ammonia in muscles.
The study aims to compare the potential benefit of allopurinol versus atorvastatin in reducing the risk of developing cirrhosis-related complications, delaying the onset of hepatocellular carcinoma, and improving survival. Furthermore, the study aims to evaluate their impact on parents' related quality of life.
Prediction of hepatic encephalopathy after insertion of a transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic stent shunt (post-TIPS HE) are critical for patient selection prior to TIPS insertion, and a currently unmet, clinically highly relevant need. In this prospective multicenter observational cohort study, the investigators aim to evaluate the ability of Stroop EncephalApp and the simplified Animal Naming Test (S-ANT1) in comparison to the goldstandard PHES to predict the occurence of post-TIPS HE in patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis. Moreover, secondary aims of this study include the detection of potential blood based biomarkers for prediction of post-TIPS HE and the predictive value of frailty and quality of life/sleep prior to TIPS insertion.
There is very little data related to the natural history of disease from covert HE (MHE and grade 1 HE) to overt HE (grades II, III and IV) in ACLF, with implications on long-term neurological recovery after an episode of overt HE. The evolution and pathogenesis of HE is well described in ALF and cirrhosis, but the dynamic changes in HE in ACLF in response to therapy such as ammonia reduction measures, antibiotics to target sepsis and inflammation, measures to alter dysbiosis such as probiotics or fecal microbiota transplant, and measures to target immune dysfunction such as steroids in alcohol-associated hepatitis. The central role of ammonia in the pathogenesis of HE in ACLF has been challenged by recent data. The approach to HE in ACLF has now refocused on systemic and neuro-inflammation, gut dysbiosis, immune dysregulation, and multi-omics approach. Most importantly, the modulation of the metabolome in response to therapy and interventions, and the use of sedatives, paralytic agents, antibiotics etc. in ACLF with HE in a real-world setting has not been reported.
The placement of TIPS (transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt) is the most effective strategy to treat complications of portal hypertension. However, the threat of developing post-TIPS complications diminishes its use and applicability. Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is the most feared and frequent post-TIPS complication, affecting between 25-54% of patients. Available treatments against HE are only partially effective. Therefore, the best existing strategy is to accurately select patients for TIPS excluding those presenting known high risk factors associated to post-TIPS HE. Despite applying this approach, the incidence of post-TIPS HE still remains very high. The investigators hypothesize that a better identification of risk factors for post-TIPS HE, together with the introduction of therapeutic interventions modulating pathophysiological mechanisms involved in post-TIPS HE development - among which sarcopenia stands out- would lead to a reduction in the incidence of HE and, eventually, to an increase in the number of patients benefiting from TIPS. Thus, our project is aimed at 1. Demonstrate that a 12 weeks lifestyle intervention based on resistance training and nutritional counseling can reduce sarcopenia and, ultimately, post-TIPS HE. 2. To study predictive factors of post-TIPS HE, focusing on the role of factors that have never been evaluated in the setting of TIPS: gut microbiome and cognitive function
TIPS is a standard for the treatment of portal hypertension related complications. However, it remains at risk of HE after TIPS (around 40% the first year). Dysbiosis plays a key role in pathophysiology of HE. Polydextrose (PDX) is consider as a prebiotic. Preliminary studies showed that PDX: 1. modified gut microbiota, enhancing "good bacteria" 2. improved gut permeability and immunity in 2 experimental models: infarction and colitis. The aim of this study is to assess PDX efficacy to prevent HE during the first 6 months after TIPS in cirrhotic patients.
Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a common complication of cirrhosis, which seriously damages the life quality of patients. As the disease progresses, 50-80% of patients with cirrhosis develop HE. Minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) is a manifestation of HE, in which the patient usually has no obvious clinical symptoms and can only be detected by neuropsychological testing. Early identification and timely treatment are the keys to improve the prognosis of HE, and the diagnosis of MHE are the priority in the process of the disease intervention. Guidelines in many countries suggest that MHE does not recommend routine treatment. However, patients with cirrhosis usually have complex clinical complications, so whether timely treatment should be taken remains to be explored. The purpose of this study is to investigate the incidence of MHE in cirrhotic patients, and to establish a real-world cohort for further study on drug therapy and efficacy evaluation.
A total of 40 patients taking proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) who undergo transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) creation as part of routine clinical care will be randomized in 1:1 fashion to either continue or discontinue their PPIs to determine whether these commonly used gastric acid suppressing agents increase risk of post-TIPS hepatic encephalopathy (HE). Patients will be assessed for symptoms of minimal HE (MHE), using the established psychometric hepatic encephalopathy score (PHES) battery of tests. MHE assessment will be conducted at two timepoints: at baseline prior to randomization and TIPS creation and approximately 4 weeks after randomization and TIPS creation. Stool samples will also be collected at both timepoints to allow characterization of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract microbiome using 16S rRNA sequencing. The pre to post-TIPS change in PHES scores will be compared between patients randomized to continue versus discontinue their PPIs. Quality of life (QOL) will also be assessed. Changes in the GI tract microbiome will be analyzed to determine whether this represents a potential biological mechanism linking PPI use with post-TIPS HE.