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.

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

Fibrosis in the liver stopped and reversed by researchers

University of California, San Diego researchers have proven in animal studies that fibrosis in the liver can be not only stopped, but reversed.

28 Dec 2007

Researchers prevent muscle weakness caused by myasthenia gravis

Severe muscle weakness caused by myasthenia gravis - a highly debilitating autoimmune disorder - can be prevented or reversed by blocking a key step in the immune response that brings on the disease, researchers at the Saint Louis University School of Medicine have found.

20 Dec 2007

Short legs linked to an increased risk of liver disease

Short legs are linked to an increased risk of liver disease, suggests a study in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health .

18 Dec 2007

Corgenix Medical enters development agreement wth NIH

Corgenix Medical Corporation has announced it has entered into a corporative research and development agreement (CRADA) with the National Institutes of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

18 Dec 2007

Raised public awareness of hepatitis C leads to 10 per cent increase in diagnoses

The number of newly diagnosed cases of hepatitis C infection in England reached 8,346 in 2006 - 10% higher than in 2005 - according to latest figures released by the Health Protection Agency (HPA).

17 Dec 2007

MicroRNA regulates cancer stem cells

One of the biggest stories in cancer research over the past few years has been, unexpectedly, stem cells.

14 Dec 2007

GlaxoSmithKline response to JAMA article on ICES retrospective analysis

The following is GlaxoSmithKline's response to the retrospective analysis by the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES) titled "Thiazolidinediones and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Older Patients with Diabetes".

13 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

Study of Mexican Americans shows that polymorphisms of the CYP2E1 gene enhance susceptibility to alcoholism

Mexican Americans make up 66 percent of the U.S. Hispanic population and, when compared to other ethnic groups, show high rates of heavy drinking and alcohol-related problems.

27 Nov 2007

GlaxoSmithKline obtains U.S. OTC marketing rights to MEVACOR (lovastatin) from Merck

GlaxoSmithKline, Philadelphia, PA, USA (GSK) and Merck & Co., Inc., Whitehouse Station, NJ, USA (Merck), announced today that they have entered into an agreement for over-the-counter (OTC) marketing rights for MEVACOR (lovastatin).

27 Nov 2007

Acute renal failure after non-cardiac operations

Patients undergoing major, non-cardiac surgery have a one percent risk of developing kidney failure, and those who do have kidney damage are at increased risk of death within a month after their operation.

26 Nov 2007

New organ allocation criteria associated with decreased deaths on liver transplant waiting list

Changing the method by which donated livers are allocated to potential transplant patients appears to have decreased the number of deaths among individuals on the waiting list as well as shortened the time to transplantation, according to a report in the November issue of Archives of Surgery, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

19 Nov 2007

GlaxoSmithKline implements changes to the US product label for Avandia

GlaxoSmithKline announced today that it is implementing changes to the US product label for Avandia(R) (rosiglitazone maleate), based on an extensive and thorough review by the FDA of myocardial ischemia data on Avandia, the most widely studied oral anti-diabetic medicine available.

15 Nov 2007

Big British problem with booze

A newly-formed group in Britain called the 'Alcohol Health Alliance' is calling for better alcohol prevention and treatment strategies to deal with the escalating alcohol problem.

14 Nov 2007

Hepatitis C treatment reduces the virus but serious liver problems may progress

Patients with chronic hepatitis C and advanced liver disease who did not respond to previous standard therapy experienced significant decreases in their liver enzymes, viral levels, and liver inflammation following treatment with long-term pegylated interferon.

6 Nov 2007

New comorbidity index helps predict post-transplant survival

Patients awaiting liver transplantation who also suffer from other medical problems may face poorer survival after transplantation.

6 Nov 2007

Preventing Morphine tolerance

Tolerance to the pain-relieving effects of morphine - which builds rapidly with prolonged use - can be prevented by blocking a key substance that's formed when the drug is taken, researchers at the Saint Louis University School of Medicine have discovered.

2 Nov 2007