Liver Disease clinical trials at UCSF

This is a prospective, multi-center, controlled, randomized, pivotal study to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the VitaSmart Liver Machine Perfusion System by comparing clinical outcomes in patients undergoing liver transplantation with ex-vivo liver preservation using static cold storage (SCS) followed by hypothermic oxygenated machine perfusion (HOPE) versus SCS only.

The study consists of a randomized controlled trial evaluating the efficacy and feasibility of a stepped alcohol treatment using telemedicine on unhealthy alcohol use in patients with chronic liver disease receiving care in hepatology practices at three sites. Patients who meet eligibility criteria will be randomized to one of two study arms: 1) Stepped Alcohol Treatment (SAT) or, 2) Usual Care (UC). Participants will be randomized separately by site. SAT includes 3 sessions of motivational interviewing followed by referral to addiction medicine for patients who do not reduce unhealthy drinking. Trial outcome measures will be complete at 6 and 12 months following baseline enrollment.

This is a comparative effectiveness study of two pragmatic models aiming to introduce palliative care for end stage liver disease patients. The 2 comparators are: Model 1: Consultative Palliative Care (i.e. direct access to Palliative Care provider), Model 2: Trained Hepatologist- led PC intervention (i.e. a hepatologist will receive formal training to deliver Palliative Care services) Primary Outcome: The change in quality of life from baseline to 3 months post enrollment as assessed by FACT-Hep (Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy- Hepatobiliary). 14 Clinical Centers across US are recruited to participate in this study.

Acute kidney injury (AKI), or worsening kidney function, is a common complication after liver transplantation (20-90% in published studies). Patients who experience AKI after liver transplantation have higher mortality, increased graft loss, longer hospital and intensive care unit stays, and more progression to chronic kidney disease compared with those who do not. In this study, half of the participants will have their body temperature cooled to slightly lower than normal (mild hypothermia) for a portion of the liver transplant operation, while the other half will have their body temperature maintained at normal. The study will evaluate if mild hypothermia protects from AKI during liver transplantation.

The primary objective of this study is to evaluate whether the combination of semaglutide (SEMA) with the fixed-dose combination (FDC) of cilofexor/firsocostat (CILO/FIR) causes fibrosis improvement and Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH) resolution in participants with compensated cirrhosis due to NASH.

Participants meeting study entry criteria are randomized with equal probability to one of two study groups: (1) Lifestyle modification or (2) Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy (VSG) with Iifestyle modification, followed for 12 months. The primary goal for the trial is to determine if the investigators can recruit, randomize, and retain participants to perform invasive and non-invasive measurements of NASH and fibrosis, deliver lifestyle modification and demonstrate the safety of VSG. The investigators wish to also understand which of these two interventions is more effective in achieving, 12 months after entry into the trial, a reduction in NAS composed of the non-weighted scores: (1) steatosis 0-3 (2) Inflammation 0-3 and (3) ballooning 0-2. Secondary goals include comparing the two treatment groups for changes in other measured outcomes including MRI assessments of intrahepatic triglyceride and liver elasticity and serum markers. As a pilot study, a sample size of 20 in each group should offer significant information as to the difference in NAS score reduction between to two groups and achieve adequate power to distinguish clinically significant changes in the primary and secondary outcome measures. These data support the overarching objective i.e. to provide evidence that a larger, longer-term clinical outcomes trial is feasible. A goal is for a longer term follow up for 5 years to assess the durability of treatment effects and treatment differences.

This is a multicenter, randomized, double masked, placebo-controlled, parallel treatment groups dosing trial of Vitamin E in adult nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

INTERLIVER is a prospective observational study of the relationship of the molecular phenotype of 300 liver transplant biopsies to the histologic phenotype and the clinical features and outcomes. A segment of a biopsy performed as standard-of-care for indications, or by center protocol, will be used for gene expression study.

This will be a prospective cohort study of patients with liver disease. Subjects will undergo geriatric assessments of frailty, functional status, and disability using functional status measures at baseline and at every clinic visit in the pre-transplant setting. Subjects will also answer questions regarding quality of life, personality, and/or cognitive function. Subjects will again undergo assessments at every clinic visit through 12 months after transplant. Then, they will be followed annually.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a spectrum of liver conditions associated with fat accumulation that ranges from benign, non-progressive liver fat accumulation to severe liver injury, cirrhosis, and liver failure. The spectrum of NAFLD encompasses simple nonalcoholic steatosis (nonalcoholic fatty liver [NAFL]) and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) in which there is evidence of hepatocellular injury and/or fibrosis. NAFLD is the most common liver disease in adults and the second leading cause for liver transplantation in the U.S. The natural history of NAFLD in the general population has been well described. The NASH Clinical Research Network (NASH CRN) was established by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) in 2002 to further the understanding of the diagnosis, mechanisms, progression and therapies of NASH. This effort has resulted in numerous seminal studies in the field. However, NASH CRN studies have systematically excluded persons living with HIV (PLWH) , as NAFLD in PLWH was thought to be different from that in the general population due to HIV infection, antiretroviral therapy (ART), concomitant medications and co-infections. This resulted in major knowledge gaps regarding NAFLD in the setting of HIV infection. Thus, the natural history of NAFLD in PLWH is largely unknown. The goal of this ancillary study of NAFLD and NASH in Adults with HIV (HIV NASH CRN), is to conduct a prospective, observational, multicenter study of NAFLD in PLWH (HIV-associated NAFLD).

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a spectrum of liver conditions associated with fat accumulation that ranges from benign, non-progressive liver fat accumulation to severe liver injury, cirrhosis, and liver failure. NAFLD is the most common liver disease in US adults and the second leading cause for liver transplantation in the US. The natural history of NAFLD in the general population has been well described, with those with non-alcoholic fatty liver (NAFL, or simple steatosis) destined to have rare incidence of hepatic events compared to those with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), who are at high risk for future development of cirrhosis, liver cancer and liver failure. The NASH Clinical Research Network (NASH CRN) was established by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) in 2002, through the mechanism of RFA-DK-01-025, to further the understanding of diagnosis, mechanisms, progression and therapies of NASH. The NASH CRN effort has resulted in numerous seminal studies in the field. However, NASH CRN studies have systematically excluded persons living with HIV (PLWH), as NAFLD in these persons was thought to be different from that in the general population due to HIV, ART, concomitant medications, and co-infections. This has resulted in major knowledge gaps regarding NAFLD in the setting of HIV. This ancillary study of NAFLD and NASH in Adults with HIV (HIV NASH CRN), HNC 001 goal is to examine the prevalence of hepatic steatosis and NAFLD in a large, multicenter, and multiethnic cohort of PLWH (Steatosis in HIV Study)