|
|
|
ANSWER TO QUESTION OF THE WEEK: (5/30/06)
What medication was found to be effective for the treatment of hepatic encephalopathy (brain fog) in patients with cirrhosis due to hepatitis C at the 2006 Digestive Disease Week meeting?
Melissa Palmer, MD investigated the efficacy and tolerability of rifaximin (xifaxin) for the treatment of stage 1 hepatic encephalopathy(HE) in patients with cirrhosis due to hepatitis C. A total of 37 patients were treated with rifaximin 400 mg TID for 14 days. Pateitns were assessed 24 hours prior to the start of therapy and 14 days after completion of therapy for multiple parameters, including ability to perform mental tasks, asterixis (hand flapping) and quality of life. 23 patients were receiving pegylated interferon and ribavirin for chronic hepatitis C and 17 of these patients also were receiving an SSRI (such as Celexa or Lexapro) for mild interferon-induced depression. Type 2 diabetes was reported in 12 patients. Rifaximin treatment lowered ammonia levels to normal in all patients and overall symptoms of mental confusion, attention span, sleep disturbances, short-term memory loss, and overall quality of life improved. Rifaximin was well tolerated, with a low incidence of side effeccts.
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dr. Palmer is an internationally renowned hepatologist who has been practicing medicine since 1985. Prior to 2012, she maintained perhaps the largest medical practice devoted to liver disease in the United States. Dr. Palmer is Clinical Professor of Medicine at New York University Medical Center. Dr. Palmer graduated from Columbia University with a B.A. and was trained in hepatology (as well as medical school) at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City.
Dr. Palmer is Board Certified in Gastroenterology and in Internal Medicine.
She has authored numerous scientific publications in the field of hepatology in such peer-reviewed journals as Hepatology, Gastroenterology, Seminars of Liver Disease, Transplantation and Archives of Internal Medicine.
She is frequently called upon by the media for her opinion on various topics related to liver disease. Dr. Palmer has appeared many times on television as a liver disease expert and has been quoted in such publications as TIME magazine, Cosmopolitan magazine, Prevention magazine, the Los Angeles Times, and Newsday. She also has appeared in numerous videos and CD-Roms aimed at educating doctors and the public about hepatitis C and other liver diseases, such as primary biliary cirrhosis. Dr. Palmer lectures to the medical and general public on liver disease-related topics on a regular basis.
Dr. Palmer has performed numerous clinical trials on various experimental medications for the treatment of hepatitis.
Dr. Palmer is currently available for lecturing, investor and hedge-fund consultations, consultations to industry, and media interviews and appearances-- including television. For such matters, she can be contacted through hepatitismedia@gmail.com.
Click on my picture to buy my book!
Return to liverdisease.com home page