Cirrhosis/Liver Failure News

Conatus Pharmaceuticals Inc. announced results from its phase 2 clinical trial of emricasan, which showed reduced MELD score, caspase-cleaved cytokeratin 18 serum and other biomarkers in patients with liver cirrhosis treated with emricasan vs. placebo.

New findings published in the Journal of Hepatology show that patients with hepatitis C virus infection-related cirrhosis undergoing antiviral therapy with ribavirin may have increased risk for developing lactic acidosis.

In a retrospective cohort study, researchers found that early paracentesis in patients with new onset ascites related to cirrhosis lowers 30-day re-admission rates. In addition, early initiation of diuretic therapy lowers 90-day mortality, according to published findings.

Researchers found that fasting levels of ammonia in the blood could predict the risk for experiencing an episode of hepatic encephalopathy or hepatic encephalopathy-related morbidity among patients with cirrhosis, according to published findings.

Researchers found hepatitis E virus infection to be prevalent in The Gambia, West Africa.  However, it was not an indication for acute-on-chronic liver failure, according to study data.

New data published in Hepatology showed that beta-blockers lowered portal pressure in patients with clinically significant portal hypertension, suggesting they could prevent decompensation of cirrhosis in this patient population.

When compared with standard of care, thromboelastography-guided transfusion required less blood products without increasing bleeding complications among patients with cirrhosis and significant coagulopathy before invasive procedures.

The diagnosis of adrenal insufficiency may be made using the serum free cortisol response to cosyntropin as an alternative to serum total cortisol, according to recent findings.

The use of statin therapy among patients with hepatitis C virus infection reduced their risk for developing cirrhosis, according to published findings.

SAN FRANCISCO — According to data presented at The Liver Meeting 2015, a national retrospective study of Veterans Affairs patients showed increasing incidence rates for cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma in the U.S. A majority of the increases are due to hepatitis C virus infection.