Anti-Fibrotic Effects of Losartan In Nash Evaluation Study

Summary

This is a randomized, controlled trial to determine whether Losartan is effective at slowing down, halting or reversing liver fibrosis in patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Liver fibrosis is the accumulation of tough, fibrous scar tissue in the liver which occurs in patients with NASH. NASH resembles alcoholic liver disease, but occurs in people who drink little or no alcohol. The major feature in NASH is fat in the liver, along with inflammation and damage, which may lead to cirrhosis, in which the liver is permanently damaged and scarred and no longer able to function properly. Primary hypothesis: That losartan is superior to placebo in reversing, slowing down or halting fibrosis in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, after 24 months of treatment. Secondary hypothesis: 1. That the safety profile of the angiotensin receptor blocker (losartan) in this patient population is acceptable 2. That losartan can prevent clinical deterioration in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease 3. That serum, radiological and histological markers of fibrosis correlate in these patients over a 24 month period

Timeline

Start

2011-05

Primary completion

2014-11

Completion

2014-12

Publications

• Background Kleiner DE, Brunt EM, Van Natta M, Behling C, Contos MJ, Cummings OW, Ferrell LD, Liu YC, Torbenson MS, Unalp-Arida A, Yeh M, McCullough AJ, Sanyal AJ; Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis Clinical Research Network. Design and validation of a histological scoring system for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Hepatology. 2005 Jun;41(6):1313-21. doi: 10.1002/hep.20701.
• Background Newton JL, Jones DE, Henderson E, Kane L, Wilton K, Burt AD, Day CP. Fatigue in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is significant and associates with inactivity and excessive daytime sleepiness but not with liver disease severity or insulin resistance. Gut. 2008 Jun;57(6):807-13. doi: 10.1136/gut.2007.139303. Epub 2008 Feb 12.
• Background Lindor KD, Kowdley KV, Heathcote EJ, Harrison ME, Jorgensen R, Angulo P, Lymp JF, Burgart L, Colin P. Ursodeoxycholic acid for treatment of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis: results of a randomized trial. Hepatology. 2004 Mar;39(3):770-8. doi: 10.1002/hep.20092.
• Background Adams LA, Sanderson S, Lindor KD, Angulo P. The histological course of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: a longitudinal study of 103 patients with sequential liver biopsies. J Hepatol. 2005 Jan;42(1):132-8. doi: 10.1016/j.jhep.2004.09.012.
• Background Adams LA, Lymp JF, St Sauver J, Sanderson SO, Lindor KD, Feldstein A, Angulo P. The natural history of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: a population-based cohort study. Gastroenterology. 2005 Jul;129(1):113-21. doi: 10.1053/j.gastro.2005.04.014.
• Background Wright MC, Issa R, Smart DE, Trim N, Murray GI, Primrose JN, Arthur MJ, Iredale JP, Mann DA. Gliotoxin stimulates the apoptosis of human and rat hepatic stellate cells and enhances the resolution of liver fibrosis in rats. Gastroenterology. 2001 Sep;121(3):685-98. doi: 10.1053/gast.2001.27188.
• Background Watson MR, Wallace K, Gieling RG, Manas DM, Jaffray E, Hay RT, Mann DA, Oakley F. NF-kappaB is a critical regulator of the survival of rodent and human hepatic myofibroblasts. J Hepatol. 2008 Apr;48(4):589-97. doi: 10.1016/j.jhep.2007.12.019. Epub 2008 Jan 31.
• Background Oakley F, Meso M, Iredale JP, Green K, Marek CJ, Zhou X, May MJ, Millward-Sadler H, Wright MC, Mann DA. Inhibition of inhibitor of kappaB kinases stimulates hepatic stellate cell apoptosis and accelerated recovery from rat liver fibrosis. Gastroenterology. 2005 Jan;128(1):108-20. doi: 10.1053/j.gastro.2004.10.003.
• Background Bataller R, Sancho-Bru P, Gines P, Lora JM, Al-Garawi A, Sole M, Colmenero J, Nicolas JM, Jimenez W, Weich N, Gutierrez-Ramos JC, Arroyo V, Rodes J. Activated human hepatic stellate cells express the renin-angiotensin system and synthesize angiotensin II. Gastroenterology. 2003 Jul;125(1):117-25. doi: 10.1016/s0016-5085(03)00695-4.
• Background Bataller R, Gabele E, Parsons CJ, Morris T, Yang L, Schoonhoven R, Brenner DA, Rippe RA. Systemic infusion of angiotensin II exacerbates liver fibrosis in bile duct-ligated rats. Hepatology. 2005 May;41(5):1046-55. doi: 10.1002/hep.20665.

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