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What's New
PubMed · June 1, 2026
Researchers found that tracking changes in liver stiffness over time — measured with a painless ultrasound-based scan — can help predict serious liver complications in people with chronic liver disease. People whose liver stiffness improved significantly were much less likely to develop serious liver problems, while those whose stiffness worsened (especially people who started with a healthier liver and then showed signs of scarring) faced a notably higher risk. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · June 1, 2026
Researchers found that certain non-invasive scoring tools — meaning tests that don't require surgery or a biopsy — can do a good job of predicting which people with advanced chronic liver disease might experience a serious complication called 'decompensation,' where the liver begins to fail at key functions like filtering toxins. Two tools in particular, called the SAVE score and ABC score, showed strong accuracy in identifying higher-risk patients across a large review of nearly 48,000 people. This could matter because catching that risk early might open the door to closer monitoring or earlier care conversations — though this is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · June 1, 2026
Researchers found that liver specialists (hepatologists) who received special training in palliative care — a type of support focused on comfort and quality of life for people with serious illness — were just as effective at improving patients' well-being as dedicated palliative care specialists. This was tested in people with advanced liver disease across 19 U.S. medical centers, and it matters because many patients with serious liver disease don't have easy access to palliative care specialists, so having their liver doctor provide that same support could help close that gap. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · May 18, 2026
A study found that people with chronic liver disease who took a medication called ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) — a bile acid pill that helps protect liver cells — saw greater improvements in liver enzyme levels and liver scarring (called fibrosis, where healthy liver tissue gets replaced by scar tissue) compared to those who took a placebo, or dummy pill, over 8 weeks. Researchers also found the medication appeared safe, with no serious side effects reported in the treatment group. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
Guidelines
PubMed · April 1, 2026
According to the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL), people with advanced chronic liver disease — a condition where the liver is severely damaged and struggling to work — often don't receive proper comfort-focused care until the very end of their life, and may go through unnecessary invasive procedures in the meantime. EASL now recommends that clinicians bring in palliative care — support focused on easing symptoms, pain, and emotional distress — much earlier in the process, not just in a patient's final days. This matters because getting that support sooner can meaningfully improve quality of life for people living with this serious condition.
What's New
PubMed · February 27, 2026
A study found that people with advanced liver disease who received a structured supportive care program — where a team of health professionals met regularly with patients and their caregivers to address their specific needs — had 66% fewer emergency department visits and 64% fewer hospital stays over 90 days compared to those receiving standard care alone. They were also five times more likely to spend more days alive and at home rather than in a hospital, and the overall cost of their care was cut by more than half. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
For informational purposes only. Not medical advice. Always consult a physician before making any health decisions.