cirrhosis

Carvedilol is effective in preventing variceal bleeding

harminka — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 14:25:38 -0500

Patients with cirrhosis are at risk for developing portal hypertension that can lead to the formation, dilation, and rupture of esophageal varices. The annual incidence of esophageal varices is approximately 5% and one third of those will bleed.

How to save cost for esophageal varices?

harminka — Wed, 21 May 2008 10:39:34 -0500

Patients with cirrhosis of the liver develop abnormally dilated blood vessels in esophagus. These are called esophageal varices. Blood vomiting may occur from the rupture of these varices, which may be fatal, so it is important to eradicate these varices.

Serum fibrosis markers correlate with liver fibrosis stage in patients with hepatitis C

harminka — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 13:20:00 -0600

A prospective study of patients with advanced chronic hepatitis C (CHC) revealed that a 3-variable model of serum fibrosis markers, including serum HA, TIMP-1 and platelet count, could identify cirrhosis with better accuracy than other published models.

Noninvasive ways to assess liver disease

harminka — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 05:25:12 -0600

Two new studies examine non-invasive ways to determine liver fibrosis and cirrhosis. An enhanced version of the Original European Liver Fibrosis panel was found to have good diagnostic accuracy for fibrosis in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Gene variation may elevate risk of liver tumor in patients with cirrhosis

harminka — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 02:51:21 -0600

A particular gene variation appears to significantly increase the risk that individuals with cirrhosis of the liver will go on to develop hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a liver tumor that is the third leading cause of cancer death.

CT colonography detects extracolonic abnormalities in elderly patients

harminka — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 05:21:04 -0600

CT colonography (CTC), when used in elderly patients, can detect a high number of new and significant abnormalities outside the colon (including cirrhosis and tumors) and is well tolerated, according to a recent study conducted by researchers at St. James’s University Hospital in Leeds, United Kingdom (UK).

Preventing variceal bleeding

harminka — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 12:50:41 -0500

Beta blockers should be the first line of prevention against variceal bleeding in patients with cirrhosis and portal hypertension. While banding is similarly effective in reducing the incidence of such bleeding, it can have fatal complications and is more expensive.

In Liver Cancer, Researcher Sees Cure

harminka — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 00:29:52 -0500

Adding more good news to last week's announcement that NexavarÃ‚Â® (sorafenib) may be the first effective treatment for advanced liver cancer, researchers at the Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center at Georgetown University have uncovered a new molecular mechanism that may "spontaneously"Â cause liver cancer.

Cure for hepatitis C announced

harminka — Tue, 22 May 2007 05:59:53 -0500

The use of peginterferon alone, or in combination with ribavirin, points to a cure for hepatitis C, the leading cause of cirrhosis, liver cancer and the need for liver transplant, a Virginia Commonwealth University researcher said today.

Liver stiffness indicates portal hypertension

harminka — Wed, 02 May 2007 07:58:53 -0500

Measuring liver stiffness using transient elastography can predict severe portal hypertension in patients with hepatitis C-related cirrhosis, according to a new study in the May issue of Hepatology, the official journal of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD).

Liver regeneration may be simpler than previously thought

harminka — Thu, 12 Apr 2007 12:35:38 -0500

The way the liver renews itself may be simpler than what scientists had been assuming. A new study, appearing in the April 13 issue of The Journal of Biological Chemistry, provides new information on the inner workings of cells from regenerating livers that could significantly affect the way physicians make livers regrow in patients with liver diseases such as cirrhosis, hepatitis, or cancer.

Critical receptor identified in liver regeneration

harminka — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 05:33:10 -0500

In studies in mouse models, researchers at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine have found that a cellular receptor involved in triggering cell death is also a necessary component of tissue repair and regeneration immediately following liver injury. This discovery could have implications for early intervention or therapy in liver disease such as cirrhosis or hepatitis.