Alcohol use increased during the COVID-19 pandemic and remained elevated even after the pandemic ended, according to a large nationally representative Keck Medicine of USC study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Tag: Liver Disease
Antibody Shows Promise Against Obesity-related Liver Disease and Atherosclerosis in Mice
Latest research in the FASEB Journal reveals an antibody called bFKB1 improves liver disease and atherosclerosis in a mouse model of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), which is associated with obesity.
Enhancing the functionality of mesenchymal stem cells: An attractive treatment strategy for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease?
The intrinsic heterogeneity of metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MASLD) and the intricate pathogenesis have impeded the advancement and clinical implementation of therapeutic interventions, underscoring the critical dema
Enhancing the functionality of mesenchymal stem cells: An attractive treatment strategy for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease?
The intrinsic heterogeneity of metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MASLD) and the intricate pathogenesis have impeded the advancement and clinical implementation of therapeutic interventions, underscoring the critical dema
Innovative mesenchymal stem cell treatments for fatty liver disease
The incidence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) is increasing year by year due to changes in the contemporary environment and dietary structure, and is an important public health problem
Mechanism of mesenchymal stem cells in liver regeneration: Insights and future directions
Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are a prevalent source for stem cell therapy and play a crucial role in modulating both innate and adaptive immune responses. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is characterized by the accumulation of tr
Patients with Alcohol Use Disorder at Risk of Liver Disease May be Less Commonly Referred for Liver Treatment if they are primarily seen for Mental Health Disorders
People with alcohol use disorder (AUD) who are at risk of advanced liver disease are less likely to be referred for liver evaluation and care if they present primarily with alcohol-related mental health issues or a mental health diagnosis, according to a study of referral practices in Virginia’s largest health system. The findings point to the possibility of widespread missed opportunities for treating three conditions that commonly co-occur: AUD, mental health disorders, and liver disease. Recent years have seen notable increases in the USA in alcohol-related deaths, mental health disorders, and hospital admissions relating to alcohol use and concurrent mental health conditions. AUD is a significant cause of liver disease, and both addiction and co-occurring mental illness can be barriers to successful liver treatment. Integrating AUD treatment, mental health care, and hepatology (liver care) is necessary to improve outcomes, but data suggests this approach is not the norm. For the st
World Hepatitis Day: Promoting Awareness and Action
July 28 marks World Hepatitis Day, a date dedicated to raising awareness about hepatitis and promoting measures to combat this serious public health issue.
Transgender adults have double the prevalence of cirrhosis as cisgender adults
A new study from Keck Medicine of USC published in The American Journal of Gastroenterology finds that transgender adults have double the prevalence of cirrhosis compared to cisgender adults (people whose gender identity matches the sex they were assigned at birth), suggesting a need for more supportive, preventive care.
DDW 2024: Cedars-Sinai Experts Share Latest Research, Care Innovations
Cedars-Sinai digestive and liver diseases physicians and scientists will share their latest research at the annual Digestive Disease Week meeting, that takes place May 18-21, in Washington, D.C.
CHOP Researchers Discover Underlying Biology Behind Fontan-Associated Liver Disease
As patients with congenital heart diseases live longer, researchers are attempting to understand some of the other complications they may face as they age. In a new study, a team from Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) used state-of-the-art technologies to understand the underlying biology of Fontan-associated liver disease (FALD).
UChicago Medicine helps bring first-of-its-kind drug for metabolic liver disease to the clinic
Resmetirom (Rezdiffra) is the first drug approved for treating MASH, an advanced form of fatty liver disease. UChicago Medicine experts contributed to a recent clinical trial and will begin incorporating the drug into liver disease treatment regimens for eligible patients.
The Rising Costs of Alcohol-Associated Liver Disease and More in the February Issue of AJG
A modeling study projecting the economic and social burden of alcohol-associated liver disease by 2040 is featured in the February 2024 issue of AJG, just one month after the new ACG Clinical Guideline on Alcohol-Associated Liver Disease
Males born to obese mothers more likely to suffer health issues as adults
Males born to obese women are more likely to be overweight at birth and develop metabolic complications in later life, including liver disease and diabetes.
Genetic variation with MASLD reveals subtypes and potential therapeutic avenues
A study reveals genetic subtypes, biomarkers, gene and pathway targets for the development of new treatments for this liver disease
New Acute Liver Failure Guidelines Featured in the July Issue of AJG
The July issue of The American Journal of Gastroenterology includes new ACG Clinical Guidelines on Acute Liver Failure, addressing a time-sensitive condition gastroenterologists and hepatologists encounter.
Prevalence of metabolic associated fatty liver disease is increasing
The percent of metabolic associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD), the leading global cause of liver disease, is increasing in U.S. adults, according to a study presented Friday at ENDO 2023, the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting in Chicago, Ill.
Heavy drinking poses even greater risk for one in three Americans
A new study from Keck Medicine of USC published in the Annals of Internal Medicine shows that heavy alcohol use may be dramatically more damaging to the liver for people with metabolic syndrome.
Research May Speed Identification of Patients Who Need Liver Transplants
Simple blood measurement of a short-lived protein helped predict which patients would and wouldn’t likely survive without a liver transplant, according to a Rutgers study
UChicago Medicine celebrates 2022 transplant milestones
The University of Chicago Medicine liver transplant teams performed their 2,000th liver transplant in 2022, a milestone figure for the South Side academic medical center.
Consumption of fast food linked to liver disease
A study from Keck Medicine of USC published today in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology found that eating fast food is associated with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, a potentially life-threatening condition in which fat builds up in the liver.
Incurable liver disease may prove curable
Research has shown for the first time that the effects of Alagille syndrome, an incurable genetic disorder that affects the liver, could be reversed with a single drug. The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, has the potential to transform treatment for this rare disease and may also have implications for more common diseases.
Study: First-Degree Relatives of Patients with NAFLD at Risk of Liver Disease
New study identifies that first-degree relatives of patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease with advanced fibrosis (scarring of the liver) are at a 15% risk of developing the condition.
UT Southwestern geneticists identify new mechanism for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease absent obesity
Using a genetic screening platform developed by a UT Southwestern Nobel Laureate, scientists with the Center for the Genetics of Host Defense at UT Southwestern Medical Center have identified genetic mutations that contribute to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), providing a potential future target for therapeutic interventions.
Transcutaneous Electrical Acustimulation for IBS-C, Infliximab Retreatment for Crohn’s Disease Featured in September Issue of AJG
The September issue of AJG highlights new clinical science, including a potential therapy to improve IBS-C symptoms, reintroduction of infliximab for Crohn’s disease, and population-based data to examine incidence and mortality of certain GI and hepatology diseases.
AASLD Foundation Funds Over $1.5 Million in Hepatology Research and Career Development in 2022
The American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) Foundation, the largest medical society supporter of liver disease research and training in the United States, today announced its combined investment of over $1.5 million in Research and Career Development Awards, Abstract Awards, Emerging Liver Scholars (ELS) Program for medical residents and its new Emerging Liver Advanced Practice Provider (APP) Program.
The 2022 award recipients — selected from a highly competitive applicant pool — demonstrate both exceptional aptitude and deep interest in liver disease research and treatment. Their work will further advance the mission of the AASLD Foundation and hepatology as a medical specialty.
Alcohol Use Can Alter Gut Microbes, but Not in the Way You Might Think
In mouse studies, UC San Diego researchers find that excess alcohol consumption alters gut microbiome but latter is not directly or significantly linked to liver disease.
Lactating Mice Pass along Common Antimicrobial to Pups, Initiating Liver Damage
In mouse studies, UC San Diego researchers report that lactating mothers expose their feeding pups to triclosan, an antimicrobial commonly used in consumer products, resulting in early signs of liver damage.
Study: Liver Disease Linked to Higher Risk of Dementia
People who have non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, a buildup of fat cells in the liver, may have a higher risk of dementia, according to a new study published in the July 13, 2022, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Researchers also found that people with this form of liver disease who also have heart disease or who have had a stroke may have an even higher risk of dementia.
Saint Louis University and Industry Partners Discover Treatment for Rare, Genetic Liver Disease
Researchers at Saint Louis University’s School of Medicine, in collaboration with Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals and Takeda Pharmaceuticals, report the first effective drug to treat a rare, genetic liver disease that formerly could only be treated with a liver transplant.
Prenatal Exposure to Chemicals in Consumer and Industrial Products Is Associated With Rising Liver Disease in Children
The growing incidence of a potentially cancer-causing liver disease in children is associated with prenatal exposure to several endocrine-disrupting chemicals, Mount Sinai researchers report.
Research Shows Alarming Increases in Deaths from Alcoholic Cirrhosis in the U.S.
Researchers conducted an original research study utilizing the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Wide-ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research (WONDER) to compare trends in mortality from alcoholic cirrhosis in the U.S. in 1999 with those 20 years later in 2019.
Pediatric Liver Disease Increases Risk of Developing Type 2 Diabetes
UC San Diego researchers describe connection between pediatric liver disease and increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Both rates are rising in children.
New Liver and Kidney Disease Identified
Scientists have identified a new disease in a ground-breaking discovery that could help patients with unexplained liver and kidney problems.
American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases Foundation Announces Funding of over $2.8 Million in Research and Career Development Awards, Abstract Awards, and Emerging Liver Scholars Program
The American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) Foundation, the largest private supporter of liver disease research and training in the United States, today announced its combined investment of over $2.8 million in Research and Career Development Awards, Abstract Awards, and its Emerging Liver Scholars (ELS) Program.
World Trade Center Responders with the Greatest Exposure to Toxic Dust Have a Higher Likelihood of Liver Disease
Mount Sinai researchers have found evidence for the first time that World Trade Center responders had a higher likelihood of developing liver disease if they arrived at the site right after the attacks as opposed to working at Ground Zero later in the rescue and recovery efforts. Their study links the increase in liver disease risk to the quantity of toxic dust the workers were exposed to, which was greatest immediately after the September 11, 2001, attacks.
‘Good cholesterol’ may protect liver
The body’s so-called good cholesterol may be even better than we realize. New research from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis suggests that one type of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) has a previously unknown role in protecting the liver from injury. This HDL protects the liver by blocking inflammatory signals produced by common gut bacteria.
COVID-19 Vaccine Protection Against Infection Lower and Slower in People with Liver Disease
A study shows for the first time that people with cirrhosis who receive mRNA COVID-19 vaccination gain important protection against more serious outcomes like hospitalization and death. At the same time, however, the vaccines offer less protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection and take longer to take effect in this population.
Selective, Toxin-Bearing Antibodies Could Help Treat Liver Fibrosis
UC San Diego researchers discovered that immunotoxins targeting the protein mesothelin prevent liver cells from producing collagen, a precursor to fibrosis and cirrhosis, in mouse models of human disease.
Drinking Any Type of Coffee Associated with Reduced Risk of Chronic Liver Disease
Drinking coffee that is caffeinated (ground or instant) or decaffeinated is associated with a reduced risk of developing chronic liver disease and related liver conditions, according to a study published in the open access journal BMC Public Health.
NYU Langone Seeks to Close the Gap in Colorectal Cancer Disparities with $2.2 Million Cohen Foundation Grant
NYU Langone Health will expand colorectal cancer screenings to address disease disparities in underserved communities with a $2.2 million grant from the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation.
Alcohol Use Interferes with Calcium Signaling in the Liver
New research in rats finds that exposure to ethanol (drinking alcohol) disrupts hormone-activated calcium signaling in the liver. The study is published ahead of print in the journal Function. One of the functions of calcium-mobilizing hormones is to regulate liver…
Synthetic Biology and Machine Learning Speed the Creation of Lab-Grown Livers
Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine have combined synthetic biology with a machine learning algorithm to create human liver organoids with blood and bile handling systems. When implanted into mice with failing livers, the lab-grown replacement livers extended life.
Antimicrobial Soap Additive Worsens Fatty Liver Disease in Mice
Triclosan, an antimicrobial found in many soaps and other household items, worsens fatty liver disease in mice fed a high-fat diet.
Researchers Find County Differences in Liver Mortality in the U.S.
University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and Emory researchers found significant differences in death rates even within the same state, according to a recently published study in Gastroenterology.
Improved Center-Specific Practices May Ease Effects of Socioeconomic Deprivation for Pediatric Liver Transplant Recipients
Data from a new study presented this week at The Liver Meeting Digital Experience® – held by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases – found that while neighborhood socioeconomic deprivation is associated with worse adverse long-term outcomes after liver transplant in children, improving center-specific practices can mitigate these effects for young at-risk patients.
Alarming New Study Highlights Need for Improved Access to HBV Vaccination, Testing and Treatment
Data from a new study presented this week at The Liver Meeting Digital Experience® – held by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases – found that in 2019, more than 500,000 persons died of hepatitis B virus infection, highlighting the urgent need for universal HBV vaccination of children beginning at birth, and scaling up testing and access to care and treatment before people with the virus develop life-threatening liver cirrhosis or liver cancer.
Unique Coagulation Driven by IL-6 Trans-Signaling Associated with Liver Injury in COVID-19
ALEXANDRIA, VA – Data from a new study presented this week at The Liver Meeting Digital Experience® – held by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases – found that COVID-19 coagulation impairment, driven in part by endothelial Factor VIII, is associated with liver injury in infected patients. The study’s findings also show that IL-6 trans-signaling, which may play a role in COVID-19 development, results in prothrombotic liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs) that may mediate the liver injury via elevated Factor VIII and activation of coagulation in the liver microvasculature.
High Abdominal Fat and Low Liver Fat Combo Increases Coronary Heart Disease Risk
Data from a new study presented this week at The Liver Meeting Digital Experience® – held by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases – found that the distribution of a person’s body fat affects coronary heart disease risk, with an increased risk of heart events among people with a combination of high visceral adipose tissue (VAT) – abdominal fat─ and low liver fat. The study’s findings indicate that liver triglyceride regulation plays an important role in heart health in people with discordant visceral adipose tissue and liver fat levels.
New Cases of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Disproportionately Affecting Americans in Rural Areas New Study Shows
Data from a new study presented this week at The Liver Meeting Digital Experience® – held by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases – found that the rate of new hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cases has slowed since 2009, but only in urban areas. Rural non-Hispanic whites and Blacks have experienced the greatest increases over time when comparing rural and urban HCC trends by specific demographic factors.