January 2021
The within-individual reproducibility of the disease severity index from the HepQuant SHUNT test of liver function and physiology
| Transl Res. 2021 Jan 2;S1931-5244(20)30321-2. doi: 10.1016/j.trsl.2020.12.010.
November 2020
Clinical Research in Hepatology in the COVID-19 Pandemic and Post-Pandemic Era: Challenges and the Need for Innovation
| Hepatology 2020 Nov;72(5):1819-1837. doi: 10.1002/hep.31491.
August 2020
Deterioration in liver function after liver-directed therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma measured by cholate clearance.
| GastroHep. 2020;00:1–8
11 patients with CP A or B cirrhosis had HepQuant SHUNT tests prior to and after liver-directed therapy of HCC. Baseline DSI predicted risk for decompensation with treatment. Treatment was associated with an increase in the degree of hepatic impairment as determined by an increase in DSI. This study has opened the door to follow-on studies in HCC treatment read more →
August 2020
Bi 685509 Improves Hepatic Function In Subjects With Child–pugh A Cirrhosis And A Liver Stiffness Measurement Of >15 Kpa: Results Fromthe Hepquant Shunt Test.
| Hepatology 2021; 74, (S1) 1238-1239A.
23 subjects with cirrhosis of various etiologies participated – 5 placebo, and 6 in each of 3 arms with resultant dose of BI 685509 of 1, 2, or 3 mg BID. HepQuant SHUNT was performed at baseline, day 11, and day 27. The results indicated that SHUNT% detected a positive treatment effect and dose response. The ability to identify these effects after only 27 days and in treatment arms with small numbers of subjects highlights the strengths of HepQuant SHUNT.
August 2020
The Hepquant Shunt Test Of Global Liver Function And Physiology Identifies The Patients With Advanced Fibrosis Or Compensated Cirrhosis Who Are At-risk For Hepatocellular Carcinoma
| Hepatology 2020; 72:654A
In the HALT-C cohort, the DSI cutoff 18.3 defined risk for large varices. In the long-term follow-up study of the QLFT Ancillary study cohort, 13 developed definite or presumed HCC. We found that DSI 18.3 was also a cutoff for risk for HCC – relative risk was 11:1 (12/113 vs 1/107) for subjects over 18.3. In addition, the one subject with baseline DSI less than 18.3 who subsequently developed HCC had DSI over 18.3 in a follow-up DSI at month 24 that preceded the diagnosis of HCC. Generally, the patients who developed HCC had increasing DSI between baseline and month 24.
August 2020
Deterioration in liver function after liver-directed therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma measured by cholate clearance
| (University of Pennsylvania) | Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology | Accepted Aug. 4, 2020
August 2020
Editorial: stratifying risk of adverse outcomes in cirrhosis: the Hepquant SHUNT test. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2021;53:939–940.
This editorial was in response to our paper on the cirrhotic patients from Baylor, highlighting the ability of HepQuant SHUNT to provide prognostic information.
August 2019
Assessing hepatic impairment in Fontan‐associated liver disease using the HepQuant SHUNT test
| Congenit Heart Dis. 2019 Aug 1
This was a pilot study of 14 FONTAN patients. FONTAN patients have long term chronic passive congestion of the liver and, when cardiac output declines, hepatic hypoxia. These factors are thought to be the driving force for development of liver fibrosis, portal hypertension, and hepatocellular carcinoma in the FONTAN patients. HepQuant SHUNT results demonstrated that the test has the potential to distinguish hepatic functional impairment solely based on hepatic inflow versus functional impairment due to fibrotic liver disease (increased SHUNT%). read more →
July 2019
Assessing hepatic impairment in Fontan-associated liver disease using the HepQuant SHUNT test
| Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine | Accepted July 16, 2019 | Congenit Heart Dis. 2019 Aug 1. doi: 10.1111/chd.12831.
April 2019
Effect of Obeticholic Acid on Liver Function in Patients With Fibrosis due to NASH.
| J Hepatology 2019;70:149-150A
This abstract highlights the results of HepQuant testing in NASH patients treated for 85 days with obeticholic acid. The study was a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial examining OCA 10 mg/d and OCA 25 mg/d in 51 NASH subjects with various stages of fibrosis. The key findings were that HepQuant DSI (and other test parameters) detected a positive treatment effect and dose response. In addition, there was suggestion of worsening function in a small subset – consistent with concern that higher doses of OCA might cause liver injury. This study was the springboard for including HepQuant SHUNT in Intercept’s 304 and 214 studies. read more →