Hepatology News and Research

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Hepatology is the branch of medicine that incorporates study of liver, gallbladder, biliary tree and pancreas as well as management of their disorders.

Elevated liver enzymes associated with higher future mortality

A new population-based epidemiological study has found that elevated liver enzymes discovered during routine medical care are associated with higher future mortality.

4 Mar 2008

Capsule endoscopy detects intestinal damage caused by celiac disease

Mayo Clinic researchers have found that capsule endoscopy can provide a magnified view of the intestinal damage caused by celiac disease.

28 Feb 2008

Children's Hospital 1 of 10 pediatric hospitals in US selected to study liver disease in kids

Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC has been selected to join an effort among select centers in the United States and Canada to collect and study information necessary to understand the possible causes and treatment of a destructive liver disease called primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC).

27 Feb 2008

New Jefferson trial to test radiation-emitting beads against advanced liver cancer

Liver cancer specialists at Jefferson's Kimmel Cancer Center in Philadelphia are beginning an 18-month study of a new treatment for liver cancer.

13 Feb 2008

Two new studies examine non-invasive ways to determine liver fibrosis and cirrhosis

An enhanced version of the Original European Liver Fibrosis panel was found to have good diagnostic accuracy for fibrosis in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Conversely, transient elastography was unreliable for detecting cirrhosis in patients with acute liver damage. The studies are published in the February issue of Hepatology, a journal by John Wiley & Sons on behalf of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD). The articles are also available online at Wiley Interscience.

5 Feb 2008

Ascal (calcium carbasalate) not safer than aspirin

Changing prescription of low-dose aspirin into calcium carbasalate (brand name: Ascal) to prevent peptic ulcerations is not useful. Peptic ulcers are evenly distributed among users of calcium carbasalate and aspirin, for secondary prevention of myocardial infarction.

5 Feb 2008

Nanobac announces Baylor initial results for nanoparticle and gall stone formation study

Nanobac Pharmaceuticals Inc has announced that scientists at the Baylor College of Medicine, working under a collaborative agreement with Nanobac, have cited evidence showing the presence of calcifying nanoparticles (CNPs) in surgically resected gallbladders with cholelithiasis (Gall Stones).

15 Jan 2008

Review of transplant issues in patients with biliary atresia

The most common indication worldwide for pediatric transplantation, biliary atresia is also the most common cause of chronic liver disease in newborns.

9 Jan 2008

New biomarker for predicting liver cancer spread and survival discovered

New research has shown that a unique pattern of microRNAs, small RNA molecules that regulate gene activity, can accurately predict whether liver cancer will spread and whether liver cancer patients will have shorter or longer survival, even patients with early stage disease.

7 Jan 2008

Shorter HCV treatment shows notable success

Two new randomized controlled trials show that treating Hepatitis C (HCV) with peginterferon and ribavirin for shorter durations can yield success rates similar to those from longer treatment lengths, with cost-savings and lower risk of serious side effects.

3 Jan 2008

MRI techniques evolving towards better assessment of liver fibrosis

MRI imagery is emerging as a non-invasive way to determine the existence and extent of hepatic fibrosis.

3 Jan 2008

Hereditary form of colon cancer traced to common ancester in U.S.

A married couple who sailed from England to America around 1630 may be the ancestors of hundreds of people alive today who are at risk for a hereditary form of colon cancer.

3 Jan 2008

Drug effective for hepatitis C patients with low platelets

For patients with hepatitis C, having a low blood platelet count is a frequent complication associated with advanced disease.

2 Jan 2008

Optimal therapy for U.S. hepatitis C patients

As reported recently in the journal Hepatology, WIN-R, a multicenter study of over 5,000 patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) showed treatment with weight-based REBETOL ribavirin, USP) (RBV) in combination with pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN) alfa-2b achieved significantly higher rates of sustained virologic response (SVR) and lower relapse rates compared to combination therapy using a flat dose of RBV 800 mg/day. Superior response was found particularly in patients with the most difficult-to-treat form of the disease, genotype 1 HCV. Efficacy was consistent across all weight groups.

28 Dec 2007

Greater need for education regarding blood borne viruses

A new cohort study could facilitate targeted interventions for adolescent offenders who are at a high risk of hepatitis C (HCV) infection and obesity related liver disease.

10 Dec 2007

Treating patients with psychiatric disorders for hepatitis C

People with severe mental illnesses are far more likely to be infected with Hepatitis C virus compared to the general population, however, they often do not get treatment for their liver disease because current antiviral therapies have known psychiatric side effects.

4 Dec 2007

New upper limit defined for normal ALT in adolescent males

A new cohort study of adolescent offenders in Australia has identified an upper limit for alanine aminotransferase (ALT) that is more sensitive for the diagnosis of liver disease.

4 Dec 2007

Compound of milk thistle shows anti-cancer effects

Recently, scientists demonstrated the anti-cancer effects of silibinin, a major biologically active compound of milk thistle. Being widely used as a folk remedy for liver diseases, milk thistle is safe and well-tolerated, and it protects the liver from drug or alcohol-related injury.

15 Nov 2007

Minority patients do not necessarily have worse outcomes after liver transplantation

When treated at the same medical centers as Caucasians, they fare just as well. These are the results of a new study in the November issue of Hepatology, a journal published by John Wiley & Sons on behalf of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD). The article is also available online at Wiley Interscience.

2 Nov 2007

High-fat diet makes mice susceptible to liver injury

A high fat diet may kill regulatory T cells in the liver, allowing steatosis (simple fatty liver) to develop into steatohepatitis (fatty liver with inflammation), according to the results of a new study in the November issue of Hepatology, a journal published by John Wiley & Sons on behalf of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD).

2 Nov 2007