Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency clinical trials at UCSF

Noninvasive monitoring of liver fibrosis is an unmet need within the clinical management of pediatric chronic liver disease. While liver biopsy is often used in the initial diagnostic evaluation, subsequent biopsies are rarely performed because of inherent invasiveness and risks. This study will evaluate the role of non-invasive FibroScan™ technology to detect and quantify liver fibrosis.

Cholestasis is a condition in which bile is not properly transported from the liver to the small intestine. Cholestasis can be caused by an array of childhood diseases, including the genetic diseases Alagille syndrome (ALGS), alpha-1 antitrypsin (a-1AT) deficiency, bile acid synthesis and metabolism defects, and progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis (PFIC) or benign recurrent intrahepatic cholestasis(BRIC). This study will investigate the natural history and progression of the four previously mentioned cholestatic liver diseases to provide a better understanding of the causes and effects of the diseases.