Liver/Biliary Disorders News

An FDA advisory committee voted against approval for obeticholic acid in primary biliary cholangitis without cirrhosis or compensated cirrhosis with portal hypertension, citing “concern for real possible harm”.

Country-specific public health policies that target metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease risk factors, such as food insecurity and physical activity, may play a key role in mitigating the global burden of disease.

Hepatitis B e-antigen seroconversion in childhood and low hepatitis B surface antigen titers after seroconversion independently predicted functional cure in chronic HBV-infected patients followed from childhood through adulthood.

Women with hepatocellular carcinoma were less likely to receive a liver transplant and more likely to die or be removed from the waitlist vs. men, underscoring the need for changes to allocation policies, according to researchers.

Declines in serum hepatitis B virus RNA at the first and second year of treatment with nucleos(t)ide analogues correlated with risk for hepatocellular carcinoma and may serve as independent predictors of cancer development.

An intermittent calorie restriction diet was “safe and more effective” in reducing hepatic steatosis at 12 weeks vs. a standard of care diet in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, particularly among those with obesity.

Vitamin E improved serum markers of liver inflammation and histology in patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, according to results from a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Both stretching and meditation reduced cramp severity and improved quality of life among patients with cirrhosis and may be considered as nonpharmacologic interventions when treating nocturnal muscle cramps, according to researchers.

Over recent years, there has been increased interest and attention to hepatitis delta virus, as we are beginning to understand that this is a real problem that at the moment is under-addressed and under-identified.

Despite being the smallest virus capable of causing human disease, it is estimated that up to 80% of patients with hepatitis delta virus will progress to liver cirrhosis and more than 50% will die of liver disease within 10 years of diagnosis.