Status:

COMPLETED

Effects of Dark vs. White Chocolate on the Postprandial Increase in Portal Pressure in Cirrhosis

Lead Sponsor:

Hospital Clinic of Barcelona

Collaborating Sponsors:

Instituto de Salud Carlos III

Consorcio Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red (CIBER)

Conditions:

Cirrhosis

Portal Hypertension

Eligibility:

All Genders

18-80 years

Phase:

PHASE2

Brief Summary

This study was aimed at testing the hypothesis that supplementing a meal with dark chocolate, which holds potent antioxidant properties, might attenuate the postprandial increase in the hepatic venous...

Detailed Description

Previous studies showed that the intrahepatic circulation in cirrhosis is not able to adapt to sudden increases in blood flow, such as that occurring after a meal, due to endothelial dysfunction. This...

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion

  • age over 18 years
  • diagnosis of cirrhosis (proven by biopsy or clinical, laboratory and imaging procedures)
  • presence of esophageal varices of any grade
  • HVPG ≥ 10 mmHg during the hemodynamic study

Exclusion

  • food allergy to chocolate
  • ongoing treatment with ascorbic acid and/or other antioxidants
  • diffuse or multinodular hepatocellular carcinoma
  • pregnancy
  • advanced hepatic failure (defined as prothrombin ratio \< 40% and bilirubin \> 5 mg/dL)
  • renal failure (defined by a serum creatinine level \> 1.5 mg/dL)
  • portal vein thrombosis
  • cardiac or respiratory failure
  • previous surgical or transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt

Key Trial Info

Start Date :

August 1 2008

Trial Type :

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation :

ACTUAL

End Date :

June 1 2009

Estimated Enrollment :

22 Patients enrolled

Trial Details

Trial ID

NCT01408966

Start Date

August 1 2008

End Date

June 1 2009

Last Update

August 3 2011

Active Locations (1)

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1

Hepatic Hemodynamic Laboratory. Liver Unit. Hospital Clinic.

Barcelona, Spain, 08036