Publications by authors named "V A C Luketic"
Article Synopsis
- This phase 1b study assessed the safety and effectiveness of cilofexor, a drug targeting farnesoid X receptors, in patients with compensated cirrhosis caused by primary sclerosing cholangitis over 12 weeks.
- Patients received increasing doses of cilofexor, and while most reported side effects like pruritus and fatigue, there were no serious adverse events.
- Results showed significant improvements in liver function markers, indicating that cilofexor may help manage cholestasis in these patients.
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates how well the Lille score predicts 30-day survival in patients with severe alcohol-associated hepatitis (AH) who are treated with steroids.
- A review of 882 patients revealed those with a Lille score below 0.45 had significantly higher survival rates compared to those with scores 0.45 or above.
- Findings suggest that while the Lille score shows high sensitivity in predicting survival, it has low specificity, meaning it can effectively identify patients likely to survive but not as well identify those who will not.
Background & Aims: Even after recovery from overt hepatic encephalopathy (HE), minimal HE (MHE), which impairs quality of life (QoL), can persist. A double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial was performed to determine the impact of albumin vs. saline on MHE and QoL in individuals with prior HE already on standard of care.
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- The study examines how cirrhosis and hepatic encephalopathy (HE), as well as alcohol and substance use, affect driving performance using a driving simulator.
- It finds that patients with cirrhosis have more centerline crossings (CCs) and road-edge excursions (REEs) compared to healthy controls, indicating poorer driving performance.
- Alcohol simulation worsens driving skills for cirrhosis patients, making their impairment similar to intoxicated controls, while similar impairment levels were observed across all groups when simulating opioid/benzodiazepine effects.
Article Synopsis
- Bile acids, particularly the deoxycholate (DCA), play a significant role in the worsening of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) and their levels increase with disease severity and fibrosis.
- A detailed study involving various microbiome analyses found that certain bile acids derived from DCA were linked to increased disease activity, suggesting a biological mechanism underlying these changes.
- The findings highlight the importance of bile acids and related gut microbiota in NAFLD progression, paving the way for potential biomarkers and therapeutic approaches for conditions like Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH).