The following is some of the research presented at the initial session of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases’ 2011 Liver Meeting in San Francisco:
Reactivation of hepatitis B among patients with cancer
Researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center found that by referencing conventional HBV risk factors, a greater percentage of cancer patients with HBV infection can be accurately identified and successfully treated proactively before beginning chemotherapy to avoid reactivation.
Health of patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis improves through treatment with anti-CD3 antibodies
Researchers at Hadassah Medical Center and NasVax in Israel were able to improve clinical biomarkers for insulin resistance as well as liver enzyme levels by treating nonalcoholic steatohepatitis with orally administered anti-CD3 monoclonal antibodies.
International study evaluates farnesoid X receptor agonist obeticholic acid in PBC
Obeticholic acid, the first rationally developed drug for cholestatic liver disease, showed substantial efficacy as a treatment for primary biliary cirrhosis as a single agent, researchers from the Center for Liver Disease at Virginia Mason Medical Center in Seattle, Wash., said. They report that a direct comparison with UDCA is merited.
Enoxaparin prevents portal vein thrombosis and decompensation in advanced cirrhotic patients
Researchers from the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia in Modeno, Italy, presented a prospective, randomized, controlled study in advanced-stage cirrhotics showing that enoxaparin was safe and effective in preventing partial vein thrombosis and was associated with greatly reduced occurrence of decompensation both before and after treatment.