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.

Smoking, hepatitis and liver transplantation: An interview with Dr Peter Ghali

We are very interested in hepatitis C as it is the most common indication for liver transplant in the Western world. The difficulty is that recurrence happens in the majority of patients within the first 2 to 7 years after transplant, and occasionally sooner.

18 Jul 2012

Researchers discover HVEM’s unknown role in fighting off E. coli infections

Despite ongoing public health efforts, E. coli outbreaks continue to infiltrate the food supply, annually causing significant sickness and death throughout the world. But the research community is gaining ground. In a major finding, published today in the scientific journal Nature, researchers from the La Jolla Institute for Allergy & Immunology have discovered a molecule's previously unknown role in fighting off E. coli and other bacterial infections, a discovery that could lead to new ways to protect people from these dangerous microorganisms.

16 Jul 2012

Liver failure, cancer and mortality in cirrhotic patients coinfected with HIV/AIDS and HCV predicted by liver stiffness

Researchers from Spain established that liver stiffness, measured by transient elastography (TE), is an independent predictor of liver failure, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and mortality in cirrhotic patients coinfected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), and hepatitis C virus (HCV).

10 Jul 2012

Hepatitis C levels higher among males and African Americans

Epidemiologists have determined that levels of hepatitis C virus (HCV) found among injection drug users (IDUs) were higher in individuals who are male or African American even after differences in other factors were considered.

10 Jul 2012

Mouse model demonstrates role of AEG-1 in hepatocellular carcinoma

Researchers have created the first mouse model demonstrating the role of a cancer promoting gene, Astrocyte elevated gene-1 (AEG-1), in hepatocellular carcinoma, or liver cancer. The mouse model represents a critical step in understanding the molecular mechanisms of liver cancer progression and could lead to novel therapies for the disease.

8 Jul 2012

Alcoholic liver disease risk only ‘modestly’ affected by genetic factors

Research has suggested that environmental factors have a greater impact on the risk of alcoholic liver disease (ALD) than genetic predisposition.

5 Jul 2012

IU gastroenterologist develops first guidelines for diagnosis and management of NAFLD

An Indiana University School of Medicine gastroenterologist led a team of distinguished physicians who developed the first guidelines for diagnosis and management of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

22 Jun 2012

DFINE completes initial phase of STAR Tumor Ablation System trial

DFINE, Inc., the developer of minimally invasive radiofrequency (RF) targeted therapies for the treatment of vertebral pathologies, today announced an upcoming poster presentation at the World Congress of Interventional Oncology (WCIO), June 14-18 in Chicago.

15 Jun 2012

Study identifies molecular changes responsible for abnormal cholesterol production and metabolism

A new study from the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine has identified molecular changes responsible for abnormal cholesterol production and metabolism in the livers of patients with a common liver condition, and these changes may explain the severity of a patient's liver disease and risks to their heart health.

8 Jun 2012

Ancient hepatitis B may hold clues to viral evolution, spread

The evolution of the hepatitis B virus and its possible migration have become clearer with the sequencing of the oldest sample of the virus, isolated from a mummified 16th-century Korean child, say scientists.

6 Jun 2012

Exelixis reports positive interim data from cabozantinib phase 2 trial on HCC

Exelixis, Inc. today reported positive updated interim data from the cohort of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients participating in the ongoing phase 2 randomized discontinuation trial (RDT) of cabozantinib.

4 Jun 2012

Final results from ArQule and Daiichi Sankyo’s tivantinib phase 2 trial on HCC

ArQule, Inc. and Daiichi Sankyo Co., Ltd. today announced final results from a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, phase 2 clinical trial with the selective MET inhibitor tivantinib as a single-agent, investigational, second-line treatment in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

4 Jun 2012

Foreign-born populations in the U.S. are at increased risk for chronic HBV

The prevalence of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in the U.S. may be as high as 2.2 million cases according to a new study now available in Hepatology, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.

1 Jun 2012

People with fatty livers need to lose weight

Exercising moderately for 150 to 300 minutes a week does not improve lipoprotein metabolism in obese people with nonalcoholic fatty lipid disease, show findings from a US study.

31 May 2012

Bone age necessary to correctly interpret growth status in pediatric Crohn's disease

Measuring bone age should be a standard practice of care for pediatric patients with Crohn's disease, in order to properly interpret growth status and improve treatment, according to a new study from the UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital.

25 May 2012

Measuring bone age should be part of routine care for pediatric patients with Crohn's disease

25 May 2012

Obese patients with fatty liver disease show only small benefit on lipoprotein levels with moderate exercise

New research found that moderate exercise does not improve lipoprotein concentrations in obese patients with non alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Results published in the June issue of Hepatology, a journal of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, report that moderate physical activity produces only a small decrease in triglyceride and alanine transaminase (ALT) levels.

24 May 2012

Gattex may represent new treatment approach for short bowel syndrome

NPS Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a specialty pharmaceutical company developing innovative therapeutics for rare gastrointestinal and endocrine disorders, today reported the presentation of data at the Digestive Disease Week (DDW) meeting held May 19-22 in San Diego.

22 May 2012

C. difficile infection on the rise

A study presented by Mayo Clinic researchers during Digestive Disease Week 2012 provides clear evidence that the number of people contracting the hard-to-control and treat bacterial infection Clostridium difficile (C. difficile or C. diff) is increasing, and that the infection is commonly contracted outside of the hospital.

22 May 2012

Studies of technological innovations presented at DDW annual meeting

Studies of technological innovations being presented for the first time at Digestive Disease Week- (DDW) showed increased accuracy coupled with decreased cost, time or invasiveness of gastrointestinal procedures. Use of a new high-definition colonoscope, for example, improved physician confidence in diagnosing small polyps, potentially reducing the amount of polyps sent for pathology analysis and the associated costs.

From Evident Corporation - Life Sciences 22 May 2012