Liver Disease News and Research

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The liver is one of the largest solid organs of the body. It is located in the upper right part of the abdomen. Most of the organ lies under cover of the rib cage.

Outcomes have improved for alternatives to whole liver transplants in children, study finds

In a new Johns Hopkins study of patient and graft survival trends for pediatric liver transplant recipients between 2002 and 2015, researchers found that outcomes for alternatives to whole liver transplantation, such as splitting a liver for two recipients or using a part of a liver from a living donor, have improved significantly.

8 Feb 2018

New discovery could be key to stopping damage caused by inflammation in many diseases

A discovery by Queensland scientists could be the key to stopping damage caused by uncontrolled inflammation in a range of common diseases including liver disease, Alzheimer's and gout.

7 Feb 2018

Depression treatment helps non-cancer pain patients to stop taking opioids

Opioid cessation in non-cancer pain may be more successful when depression is treated to remission, a Saint Louis University study shows.

5 Feb 2018

Elevated levels of chlorinated lipids linked to lung injury and death in sepsis patients

In a study published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation Insight, Saint Louis University scientists have found that elevated levels of chlorinated lipids are linked to sepsis, lung injury and death. The finding may offer a way to diagnosis and treat sepsis earlier, saving lives and avoiding serious side effects.

31 Jan 2018

UT Southwestern oncologist highlights need to improve liver cancer screening rates

Patients with cirrhosis should be screened regularly for liver cancer, though few are – in part because busy physicians often don't order the screening tests, said UT Southwestern oncologists.

30 Jan 2018

New AASLD guideline focuses on improving diagnosis, treatment of liver cancer and NAFLD

A new Practice Guideline and Practice Guidance in Hepatology will help improve the diagnosis and treatment of patients with liver cancer as well as patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which can lead to liver cancer and is characterized by the build-up of extra fat in liver cells often due to obesity and diabetes.

27 Jan 2018

States face costly conundrum: How to treat inmates with hepatitis C

In a corner of Jymie Jimerson’s house in the town of Sparta, in southwestern Missouri, she has set up a kind of shrine. It has Native American art representing her Cherokee heritage alongside Willie Nelson albums, books and photos in remembrance of her late husband.

23 Jan 2018

Powerful anti-oxidant can stop progression of fatty liver disease in young mice

As obesity continues to rise in the U.S., non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become a major public health issue, increasingly leading to cancer and liver transplants.

22 Jan 2018

Drinking during late adolescence could be first step to liver problems in adulthood

Alcohol is the leading cause of liver cirrhosis and liver-related deaths. Results of a large long-term study in Sweden have confirmed that drinking during late adolescence could be the first step towards liver problems in adulthood and that guidelines for safe alcohol intake in men might have to be revised downwards, reports the Journal of Hepatology.

22 Jan 2018

Scarring of fat tissue in obese people can make weight loss more difficult

The fat of obese people becomes distressed, scarred and inflamed, which can make weight loss more difficult, research at the University of Exeter has found.

12 Jan 2018

Hormone therapy combination may improve metabolism without increasing risk of reproductive cancer

Treating ovariectomized mice with a combination of conjugated estrogens and the drug bazedoxifene triggers the expression of genes that improve metabolism and prevent weight gain - without stimulating the uterus and increasing risks of reproductive cancer, a new study suggests.

22 Dec 2017

Emerging pharmacologic approach may inhibit NASH

Treating a liver disease called NASH (non-alcoholic steatohepatitis), which affects 10 to 15 percent of obese individuals with type-2 diabetes worldwide, is difficult. But now scientists believe they have found a pharmacologic approach that may inhibit NASH, and thus stop deadly conditions that result from NASH such as cirrhosis and liver cancer.

21 Dec 2017

New recommendations aim to improve diagnosis of liver disease, prevent unnecessary tests

New recommendations, led by experts at the University of Birmingham, have been published to improve the use of liver blood tests.

20 Dec 2017

SLU scientists provide promising approach in designing new drugs for DMD

In a paper published in the Nature journal Scientific Reports, Saint Louis University researchers report that a new drug reduces fibrosis (scarring) and prevents loss of muscle function in an animal model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), providing a promising approach in designing new medications for those suffering from DMD.

8 Dec 2017

New mass-production platform overcomes barriers to bioengineering human liver tissues

Researchers report creating a biologically accurate mass-production platform that overcomes major barriers to bioengineering human liver tissues suitable for therapeutic transplant into people.

5 Dec 2017

Moderate coffee consumption more likely to provide beneficial health outcomes

Drinking coffee is "more likely to benefit health than to harm it" for a range of health outcomes, say researchers in The BMJ today.

23 Nov 2017

Metabolic factors in conjunction with alcohol consumption increase risk of severe liver disease

A new study provides insights into the interaction between alcohol consumption and metabolic factors in predicting severe liver disease in the general population.

22 Nov 2017

Liver disease in children with Alagille Syndrome caused by malformations of bile ducts

Serious liver and heart problems can affect children with Alagille Syndrome early in life. While there is as yet no cure, researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden have discovered that the liver disease part of the syndrome is caused by specific malformations of the bile ducts.

21 Nov 2017

Pioneering research project aims to develop better diagnostic tests for NAFLD

A pioneering European research project aims to lead to new diagnostic tests to assess patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and identify those most at risk for developing severe inflammation and liver scarring.