Cirrhosis
Our work
Cirrhosis is the impaired liver function caused when scar tissue formed after liver disease gradually replaces normal functioning tissue. It can take years to develop.
Cirrhosis is often caused by alcoholic liver disease, heroin use, and chronic hepatitis B / C. Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) can be caused by obesity, high blood pressure or cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, and metabolic syndrome.
It causes an array of symptoms, from fatigue, nausea and stomach pain, to swelling, jaundice and infections from fluid that collects in the abdomen. In serious cases, it can cause bleeding from swollen veins, or even liver cancer.
We completed the national ATTIRE trial (Albumin to prevent infection in chronic liver failure), and our ASEPTIC trial (Primary Antibiotic Prophylaxis using Cotrimoxazole to Prevent Spontaneous Bacterial Peritonitis in Cirrhosis) is now in the follow-up phase.
Professor O’Brien is also the Clinical Director of the Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê Comprehensive Clinical Trials Unit.
Our experts
Prof. Alastair O'Brien
Principal Investigator
Iulia Munteanu
Research nurse (Royal Free/Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²ÊH)
Marisa Chau
Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê CCTU: Clinical Project Manager
Nishtha Kotriwala
Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê CCTU: Data Manager
Leanne Crisp
Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê CCTU: Trial Manager
Tasheeka Jeyapalan
Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê CCTU: Trial Manager
Norin Ahmed
Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê CCTU: Statistics
Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê CCTU: Health Economics
Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê CCTU: PhD student
NHS collaborator (Royal Free)
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Selected publications
- ChinaÌýL, TittanegroÌýT, CrocombeÌýD, ForrestÌýE, KallisÌýY ...ÌýO'Brien, AÌý(2023). . eClinicalMedicine, 58, 101924.
- TittanegroÌýT, ChinaÌýL, ForrestÌýE,ÌýKallisÌýY, RyderÌýSD ...ÌýO'BrienÌýAÌý(2023). eClinicalMedicine, 55, 101716.
- KutmutiaÌýR, TittanegroÌýT, ChinaÌýL, ForrestÌýE, KallisÌýY, RyderÌýSD ...ÌýO'Brien, AÌý(2022). . American Journal of Gastroenterology.
- China L, Freemantle N, Forrest E, Kallis Y, Ryder SD, Wright G, O'Brien A (2021).Ìý. Am J Gastroenterol. 2021 Nov 1;116(11):2292-2295.
- Maini AA, Becares N, China L, Tittanegro TH, Patel A, De Maeyer RPH, Zakeri N, Long TV, Ly L, Gilroy DW, O'Brien AÌý(2021). . JHEP Rep. 2021 Aug 4;3(6):100332. eCollection 2021 Dec.
- ChinaÌýL, FreemantleÌýN, Forrest E, KallisÌýY, RyderÌýSD, Wright GÌý... O'Brien A,ÌýATTIRE Trial InvestigatorsÌý(2021). . The New England Journal of Medicine, 384 (9), 808-817.
- Aithal GP, Palaniyappan N, China L, Härmälä S, Macken L, Ryan JM, Wilkes EA, Moore K, Leithead JA, Hayes PC, O'Brien AJ, Verma S (2020). . Gut 2020.
- Becares N, Härmälä S, China L, Colas RA, Maini AA, Bennet K, Skene SS, Shabir Z, Dalli J, O'Brien A (2019). . Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2019 Aug 22. pii: S1542-3565(19)30911-5.
- China L, Maini A, Skene S, Shabir Z, Sylvestre, Colas R, Ly L, Becares Salles N, Belloti V, Dalli J, Gilroy DW & O'Brien AJÌý(2017). . Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2017 Aug 28. pii: S1542-3565(17)30993-X.
- O'Brien AJ, Fullerton JN, Massey KA, Auld G, Sewell G, James S, Newson J, Karra E, Winstanley A, Alazawi W, Garcia-Martinez R, Cordoba J, Nicolaou A, Gilroy DW (2014). . Nature Medicine. 2014;20(5):518-23.
Funding and partnerships
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