Status:

COMPLETED

Pentoxifylline/Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH) Study: The Effect of Pentoxifylline on NASH

Lead Sponsor:

Northwestern University

Conditions:

Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis

Liver Diseases

Eligibility:

All Genders

18-65 years

Phase:

PHASE2

PHASE3

Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to explore the potential benefit of the medication, pentoxifylline, for the treatment of NASH.

Detailed Description

This is an investigational study looking at subjects who have been diagnosed with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) or 'fatty liver disease'. There is currently no FDA approved available treatment f...

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion

  • Subjects must be willing to give written informed consent
  • Diagnosis of steatohepatitis Grade \>= 1 (Brunt et al. criteria - Am J Gastroenterology 1999;94(9)2467-74) on biopsy within 6 months prior to entry into protocol
  • No histologic evidence of cirrhosis
  • Persistent ALT elevation (\> 1.5 the upper limit normal) over 6 months prior to entry into study
  • Adult subjects 18-65 years of age of any race or gender
  • Compensated liver disease with the following hematologic, biochemical, and serological criteria on entry into protocol:
  • Hemoglobin \> 11 gm/dL for females and \> 12 gm/dL for males
  • White blood cell (WBC) \> 2.5 K/UL
  • Neutrophil count \> 1.5 K/UL
  • Platelets \> 100 K/UL
  • Direct bilirubin, within normal limits
  • Indirect bilirubin within normal limits (unless non-hepatitis factors such as Gilbert's disease explain indirect bilirubin rise. In such cases total bilirubin must be \< 3.0 mg/dL)
  • Albumin \> 3.2 g/dL
  • Serum creatinine within normal limits
  • Hemoglobin A1c (HgbA1c) \< 7%
  • Antinuclear antibodies (ANA) \< 1:160
  • Anti-smooth muscle Ab negative
  • Serum hepatitis B surface antigen (HepBsAg) negative
  • Serum hepatitis C antibody (HepC Ab) negative
  • Iron/total iron binding capacity (TIBC) ratio (transferrin saturation) \< 45%
  • Alpha-1-antitrypsin level within normal limits
  • Ceruloplasmin level within normal limits
  • Negative pregnancy test (females)
  • Concomitant use of lipid lowering agents at study entry will not exclude patients from the study.

Exclusion

  • Evidence of decompensated cirrhosis
  • Active gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding
  • Renal failure (creatinine clearance \< 80 mL/min)
  • Active alcohol or drug abuse
  • Uncontrolled diabetes (HgbA1c \> 7)
  • Current treatment with anti-diabetic medications such as thiazolidinediones or metformin (stable doses of sulfonylureas are acceptable)
  • Current treatment with anti-TNF alpha medication (i.e. Remicade or Enbrel)
  • Current treatment with vitamin E
  • Alcohol consumption \< 20 g/day (males) or \< 10 g/day (females) - assessed by one physician and confirmed with one family member.
  • HIV positive status
  • Any history of cerebral and/or retinal hemorrhage
  • Prior intolerance of pentoxifylline or any other methylxanthine (i.e. caffeine, theophylline, or theobromine)
  • Current use of theophylline
  • Known diagnosis of malignancy
  • Any other conditions which the investigator feels would make the subject unsuitable for enrollment, or could interfere with the subject completing the protocol

Key Trial Info

Start Date :

March 1 2005

Trial Type :

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation :

ACTUAL

End Date :

September 1 2009

Estimated Enrollment :

26 Patients enrolled

Trial Details

Trial ID

NCT00267670

Start Date

March 1 2005

End Date

September 1 2009

Last Update

September 9 2014

Active Locations (1)

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1

Northwestern University

Chicago, Illinois, United States, 60611