All articles tagged with #liver fibrosis
Over a billion people have excess liver fat, with fatty liver disease affecting around 30% of adults; AI could mine health records, blood tests, and routine imaging to flag those at highest risk of fibrosis, enabling early lifestyle changes or targeted therapies, and easing primary-care workloads with tools like LiverPRO and ALADDIN—though biopsies and imaging won't disappear, these apps could improve triage and curb costs.
In a cross-sectional study of 95 young women referred for PMOS (formerly PCOS), 42% had hepatic steatosis and 6% had liver fibrosis. Steatosis was associated with older age, higher BMI, systemic inflammation, higher metabolic syndrome score, and insulin resistance, while hyperandrogenism was more common in those with steatosis. Noninvasive fibrosis scores (FIB-4 and the Steatosis-Associated Fibrosis Estimator) missed the majority of fibrosis cases, suggesting FibroScan evaluation and age-appropriate screening strategies are needed for PMOS patients.
A national NHANES analysis links tetrachloroethylene (PCE), the dry-cleaning solvent, to a higher risk of significant liver fibrosis. Among 1,614 U.S. adults (2017–2020), about 7.4% had detectable PCE in blood; those with detectable exposure had over three times the odds of meaningful liver scarring, and each 1 ng/mL rise in PCE increased fibrosis odds by more than fivefold, with roughly a 28% absolute risk increase. The association persisted after adjusting for age, sex, race, education, and common liver risk factors like alcohol use and obesity. PCE exposure can occur via indoor air, groundwater, dry-cleaning and industrial use, and while the EPA is phasing it out over a decade, it remains in some settings. The findings underscore environmental toxins as potential contributors to liver disease and suggest a need for broader screening and further research.
Two women with advanced fatty liver disease and fibrosis reportedly saw reversal of liver damage after using Mounjaro, a GLP-1 weight-loss drug. The case adds to growing evidence that treating obesity-related liver disease can reverse scar tissue, but NHS approval is still pending and access remains costly, underscoring the need for more research.
A study finds that combining the drugs silybin and carvedilol produces a strong synergistic effect in reversing liver fibrosis by inhibiting scar tissue formation, offering a promising new treatment approach using existing, safe medications.
Japanese researchers have discovered that compounds from henna, specifically Lawsone, may help reverse liver fibrosis by inhibiting the activation of fibrogenic liver cells, offering a potential new natural treatment for liver damage caused by various conditions. Laboratory trials in mice showed promising results, and further development could lead to therapies that not only halt but also reverse liver scarring, providing hope for millions with chronic liver diseases.
Liver fibrosis, a symptom of chronic liver diseases, is linked to reduced cognitive abilities and brain volume, possibly mediated by inflammation, according to a study that used data from the UK Biobank. The findings suggest a liver-brain axis, highlighting the interconnectedness of physical and mental health. The study emphasizes the need for early liver disease surveillance to possibly prevent cognitive decline. The hippocampus, thalamus, striatum, and brain stem are among the brain regions that showed reduced gray matter volume in participants with liver fibrosis.
Liver fibrosis, a scarring of liver tissue that occurs in many chronic liver diseases, is associated with reduced cognitive ability and reduced brain volume in certain regions of the brain, according to a study by Yale researchers. The study used data from the UK Biobank and found that inflammation may contribute to the link between liver fibrosis, cognition, and brain structure. The findings highlight the need for early surveillance of liver disease and suggest that preventing liver disease may help delay the progression of diseases like dementia and Alzheimer's disease.
NIH researchers have identified a new autoinflammatory disease caused by mutations in the LYN gene, which regulates immune responses. The disease, named Lyn kinase-associated vasculopathy and liver fibrosis (LAVLI), was discovered in three pediatric patients who developed diseases linked to the LYN genetic mutation shortly after birth. The study suggests that Lyn kinase may be a potential therapeutic target for drugs that treat forms of non-syndromic small vessel vasculitis and other types of inflammation-induced liver fibrosis.