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.

Autism Speaks lauds recommendations for evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of GI in ASD children

Autism Speaks applauds the consensus statement and recommendations for the evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of gastrointestinal (GI) disorders in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) released online in Pediatrics as one step in advancing physician awareness of unique challenges in the medical management of children with autism.

5 Jan 2010

St. John's wort not effective in treating IBS

A Mayo Clinic research study published in the January issue of the American Journal of Gastroenterology finds that St. John's wort is not an effective treatment for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). While antidepressants are frequently used to treat IBS, to date, no study has examined the success of using the herbal supplement St. John's wort in treating IBS.

5 Jan 2010

FDA grants Priority Review designation for InterMune's NDA for pirfenidone

InterMune, Inc. today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted for review and granted Priority Review designation for the company's New Drug Application (NDA) for pirfenidone for the treatment of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).

4 Jan 2010

High prevalence of type 2 diabetes may be linked to excess niacin intake

Facing the increasing prevalence of type 2 diabetes worldwide in the past few decades, one may ask what is wrong with humans. Geneticists tell us that the human genome has not changed markedly in such a short time.

23 Dec 2009

GSTM1 and GSTT1 null genotypes not associated with increased risk of GC or CRC in Koreans

The glutathione S-transferase M1 (GSTM1) and glutathione S-transferase T1 (GSTT1) null genotypes have been linked to increased risk of developing cancer. The results regarding the association between GSTM1 and GSTT1 null genotypes and the risk of GC or CRC were contradictory.

18 Dec 2009

Shift working may accelerate metabolic syndrome

Shift work exposures can accelerate metabolic syndrome (MetS) development among the large population of middle-aged males with elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT). Elevated serum alanine aminotransferase (e-ALT) is a common abnormality of health examinations in middle-aged working populations.

17 Dec 2009

Research article addresses the relationship between PEG and GER

Gastroesophageal reflux (GER) is a common problem in mechanically ventilated patients and contributes to the development of esophageal mucosal injury and even erosive esophagitis. The relationship between percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) and subsequent development of GER is complex and not well understood.

9 Dec 2009

Research article on Peliosis hepatis

Peliosis hepatis (PH) is a rare pathological entity. PH varies from minimal asymptomatic lesions to larger massive lesions that may present with cholestasis, liver failure, portal hypertension, avascular mass lesion, or even spontaneous rupture.

9 Dec 2009

Comparative study on erosive and nonerosive diseases

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is defined as the pathological retrograde movement of gastric contents into the esophagus. Various esophageal motility disturbances which may be important in reflux are observed in patients with GERD.

9 Dec 2009

Utility of CEH-EUS uses sonographic contrast agent to diagnose pancreatic tumors

Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) is a highly sensitive diagnostic method for the detection of small pancreatic carcinomas. Recently, there have been some reports describing the utility of contrast-enhanced harmonic EUS (CEH-EUS) which uses sonographic contrast agent for differentiation of a pancreatic mass.

9 Dec 2009

Enrollment of patients for Phase I/IIa clinical study of Interleukin-7 commenced

Cytheris SA, a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on research and development of new therapies for immune modulation, today announced that it has begun enrolling patients in its Phase I/IIa clinical program evaluating the company’s investigative immune-modulator, recombinant human Interleukin-7 (CYT107), in combination with standard antiviral treatment and vaccination in HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B-infected (HBV) patients.

8 Dec 2009

Lab grown muscle cells raise hope for gastric reflux and fecal incontinence

A new study shows that muscle cells grown in the lab can restore an intestine's ability to squeeze shut properly. The work, performed in dogs and rats, might ultimately help treat patients with conditions such as gastric reflux and fecal incontinence.

5 Dec 2009

Hyperion Therapeutics commences enrollment in its HPN-100 episodic hepatic encephalopathy trial

Hyperion Therapeutics, Inc. today announced that the first patient has been enrolled in its phase II clinical trial of investigational compound HPN-100 (glycerol phenylbutyrate).

3 Dec 2009

Nonanesthesiologist-administered propofol for GI procedures safe

The worldwide safety experience of endoscopist-administered propofol sedation now exceeds 600,000 patients. The low rate of serious adverse events underscores the safety of nonanesthesiologist-administered propofol (NAAP) for gastrointestinal (GI) procedures, provided that it is administered by a team of individuals who have received training specific to the administration of propofol according to the "Position statement: nonanesthesiologist administration of propofol for GI endoscopy" issued by the four major gastroenterology and hepatology societies.

3 Dec 2009

Healthy dietary habits are important for GCA prevention

The gastric cardiac adenocarcinoma (GCA) is a very rare disease. In recent decades, however, the incidence of the GCA has increased dramatically in many Western countries. An increasing trend in GCA is also observed in municipal regions but not in rural regions of China. Another striking feature is the strong male predominance among patients with GCA. Some of the reasons above are still unclear and require further epidemiological investigations.

26 Nov 2009

HPA-specific shRNA holds potential as a novel therapeutic strategy for gastric cancer

Previous studies have indicated that the heparanase (HPA) is correlated with histopathological parameters and poor prognosis of gastric cancers. Although their efficiencies in inhibiting the expression of HPA, the traditional HPA inhibitors may produce nonspecific and undesirable effects. In recent years, genetic approaches targeting HPA have been regarded as a promising alternative.

25 Nov 2009

Americans with hepatitis C are at increased risk of developing liver cancer, says NVHR

New peer-reviewed data finding that fewer than one-fifth of the nearly 4 million Americans infected with chronic hepatitis C virus have received anti-viral therapy in recent years should be a wake-up call that Congress needs to move urgently on bipartisan legislation to support new state-based detection, research, and surveillance efforts, the National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable (NVHR) said today.

24 Nov 2009

Treatment rates for hepatitis C virus declining, say researchers

Researchers from the University of Michigan determined that only 663,000 of the approximately 3.9 million Americans with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection received antiviral therapy between 2002 and 2007.

24 Nov 2009

Study: Impaired oxidation in liver associated with progression to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis

A recent metobolomics study by researchers from Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center in Richmond found that impaired peroxisomal oxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) is associated with the progression of nonalcoholic fatty liver (NAFL) to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).

24 Nov 2009

Antiviral therapy for hepatitis C appears to be declining in the U.S.; lack of diagnosis is primary barrier to treatment

23 Nov 2009

Hepatology News and Research

Further Reading

Autism Speaks lauds recommendations for evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of GI in ASD children

St. John's wort not effective in treating IBS

FDA grants Priority Review designation for InterMune's NDA for pirfenidone

High prevalence of type 2 diabetes may be linked to excess niacin intake

GSTM1 and GSTT1 null genotypes not associated with increased risk of GC or CRC in Koreans

Shift working may accelerate metabolic syndrome

Research article addresses the relationship between PEG and GER

Research article on Peliosis hepatis

Comparative study on erosive and nonerosive diseases

Utility of CEH-EUS uses sonographic contrast agent to diagnose pancreatic tumors

Enrollment of patients for Phase I/IIa clinical study of Interleukin-7 commenced

Lab grown muscle cells raise hope for gastric reflux and fecal incontinence

Hyperion Therapeutics commences enrollment in its HPN-100 episodic hepatic encephalopathy trial

Nonanesthesiologist-administered propofol for GI procedures safe

Healthy dietary habits are important for GCA prevention

HPA-specific shRNA holds potential as a novel therapeutic strategy for gastric cancer

Americans with hepatitis C are at increased risk of developing liver cancer, says NVHR

Treatment rates for hepatitis C virus declining, say researchers

Study: Impaired oxidation in liver associated with progression to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis

Antiviral therapy for hepatitis C appears to be declining in the U.S.; lack of diagnosis is primary barrier to treatment

Achieving and maintaining ISO 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

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