The Liver Frailty Index can give physicians better data about the mortality risk of cirrhosis patients than just subjective data, according to a study led by Dr. Jennifer Lai of the University of California at San Francisco. In the study, published in The American Journal of Gastroenterology, 529 patients were tested on grip strength, balance
MedPage Today reports two interesting pieces of reporting simultaneously this week. First, Public Citizen published a report showing from 1991 through 2017, a total of 412 legal settlements were reached between the federal and state governments and pharmaceutical manufacturers. The fines, settlements, and fees comprised a whopping total of $38.6 billion. For 2016 and 2017, 38 settlements
A number of promising drugs in the pipeline can lower hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA and antigen levels. Some may offer a functional cure for selected individuals, but agents that offer a reliable cure for most patients are not yet on the horizon. This would be expected to substantially reduce the likelihood of liver disease progression
Finnish researchers found that individuals with diabetes or a high waist circumference who consumed higher average amounts of alcohol were at an increased risk of developing liver disease. The findings in the journal Hepatology, based on an analysis of the Finnish Health 2000 study data involving 6,732 individuals without liver disease, revealed that the
Cases linked to the outbreak of Hepatitis A were first reported in November. As of Friday, more than 15 people in the area have died from hepatitis infections and more than 350 others are ill. San Diego’s homeless population has been hit hardest by the highly contagious hepatitis A virus. According to the World Health Organization most
Researchers at the University of California, Davis found that chronic liver inflammation is associated with a Western diet via the type of bacteria present in the gut. “We know the transition from steatosis, or fatty liver, to steatohepatitis (inflammation in the fatty liver) plays a crucial role in liver injury and carcinogenesis,” Yu-Jui Yvonne Wan, professor
“Most HCV patients unsuccessful on previous regimens clear virus with triple therapy”
Triple-DAA Pill Offers HCV Retreatment Option A combination of three drugs that act directly to block hepatitis C (HCV) replication successfully cured most patients who had previously failed therapy with such agents, researchers reported. In two phase III trials, the investigational combination of sofosbuvir, velpatasvir, and voxilaprevir cleared the virus in 96% and 98% of
Patients with recurrent episodes of hepatic encephalopathy experience cognitive improvements and significantly fewer hospitalizations after fecal microbiota transplantation than after standard care, according to a phase 1 study designed to evaluate the safety of this treatment. Fecal microbiota transplantation “is a safe procedure in this population with advanced hepatic encephalopathy,” said Jasmohan Bajaj, MD, from
The rise in the number of deaths caused by hepatitis makes the disease a global health threat on the level of tuberculosis and HIV, according to a World Health Organization report. The data, presented at the International Liver Congress, showed a 22% increase in deaths resulting from chronic hepatitis B and C from 2000 to
