One of the most challenging aspects of liver disease is that it often progresses without symptoms. This makes catching it early very difficult, allowing the disease to get worse over time and diminishing the treatment options for patients. Learn more about liver disease progression and how clinical research can help.
Liver disease is a complex condition that goes through numerous stages. The earliest stage is inflammation, also called steatohepatitis. The liver begins to swell, accumulating fat cells, but the majority of people don’t experience any symptoms.
As liver disease progresses, it enters the next stage: fibrosis. Scar tissue begins to replace healthy liver tissue. This begins to stiffen the organ, but function is still not significantly impacted.
The next step in liver disease progression is cirrhosis. This develops when the scar tissue gives the liver a tough, hardened texture. During early cirrhosis, the liver can still handle the body’s demands, but function can quickly begin to deteriorate if the problem isn’t addressed.
The last stage is liver failure. It occurs when the scarring is so prevalent that there isn’t enough healthy tissue to keep the liver working normally. This is when the majority of serious liver disease symptoms begin, including jaundice, mental confusion, fatigue, and fluid retention.
Liver disease tends to go unnoticed through its early stages for a number of reasons.
Liver tissue does not contain pain receptors. A patient will not feel the fat cell buildup or the inflammation begin inside the organ. Discomfort or pain will only occur when the swelling is significant enough to cause the liver to stretch its membrane and outer capsule. These do have pain receptors because they have nerve endings.
The liver is a self-healing organ. If alcohol, viruses, or fat damages it, it can regenerate new cells. This healing process has its downside, however, if the underlying problem isn’t addressed and inflammation continues.
Inflammation also affects the healing process, leaving behind small amounts of collagen and scar tissue. Your liver can function with a significant amount of scarring because other parts of it will compensate for the damaged area, but if the cycle of damage, healing, and scarring continues, there will not be enough healthy tissue left.
The liver can lose up to 75% of its functional cells and still handle daily function. It will continue filtering toxins, producing proteins, and processing nutrients. There won’t be a significant drop in function, so there won’t be symptoms that lead patients to speak with a doctor.
A drop in liver function is not always spotted during basic checkups. Routine blood tests will only register certain liver enzymes, and these may only be noticeably higher during active, acute liver damage. Most standard tests will not look for elevated bile acids, which is often a clue pointing toward liver disease.
Diagnostics will also not register fluid buildup or jaundice as quickly as needed until anywhere from 70% to 80% of the organ is damaged.
Clinical research offers the chance to create new ways of detecting liver disease as early as possible. It is focused on perfecting ultrasound imaging and improving blood tests so that even the slightest changes in liver function can be spotted.
Beyond diagnostics, clinical research seeks to identify new treatments. It is targeting regenerative medicine and cell therapies to help dissolve scar tissue and stimulate liver regeneration.
Halting inflammation is a goal, as well. Clinical research has been able to pinpoint the receptors in the liver that trigger inflammation. This step can assist with creating effective anti-inflammatory medications.
At Orlando Clinical Research Center, we provide state-of-the-art facilities for Phase I-IV clinical trials. We assist pharmaceutical and biotech companies in developing life-saving medications.
There are numerous current studies taking place at our facilities, and we’re ready to provide the full support that participants and trial investigators need. Check out our current options or contact our team to plan your next project.
