MRI Biomarkers in as Predictor of Clinical Endpoints in Pediatric Autoimmune Liver Disease
This study looks at MRI imaging scans to better understand and predict how autoimmune liver diseases progress in children and teenagers. Researchers will follow patients over time to see if MRI can help doctors identify which patients are at higher risk for serious liver problems.
Key Objective: This trial could help doctors use MRI scans to predict disease progression and identify better treatment strategies for children with autoimmune liver disease.
Who to Consider: Children and teenagers diagnosed with autoimmune hepatitis or primary sclerosing cholangitis who want to contribute to research that may improve disease monitoring and treatment.
Trial Parameters
Brief Summary
Autoimmune liver diseases (AILD), which include Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (PSC) and Autoimmune Hepatitis (AIH) are a common etiological factor for chronic liver disease among adolescents. This is a longitudinal study to identify surrogate endpoints with an accurate predictive value for the progression of hepatobiliary damage in subjects with pediatric onset AILD. This study will involve collection of MRI-based data at the time of enrollment and at year 1 and 2 of follow up, and collection of clinical data for 10 years following enrollment. There is a strong possibility that MRI quantitative techniques may be more sensitive to disease progression than standard clinical and laboratory tests. To investigate predictivity of MRI based biomarkers, summary measures of MRCP/MREL from baseline, Year 1 and Year 2, e.g. change rate, maximum, and average will be calculated as predictors for Year 10 clinical outcomes. The same predictors will also be used to model native liver survival in a proportional hazard regression. Findings from this study may be used to assess disease progression and to predict complications and survival of liver disease patients.
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria: 1. Age 6-23 years old. 2. Established clinical diagnosis of AIH or PSC. Exclusion Criteria: 1. History of liver transplantation. 2. Chronic Hepatitis B or untreated hepatitis C virus infection. 3. Pregnancy. 4. Absolute contraindication for MRI (e.g. pacemaker, metallic implants, claustrophobia). 5. Diagnosis of cystic fibrosis or biliary atresia 6. Diagnosis of cardiac hepatopathy. 7. Diagnosis of Wilson's disease, Alpha-1 Antitrypsin deficiency, or Glycogen storage disease. 8. Skin conditions which could be aggravated by MREL (i.e. Epidermolysis bullosa).