Cirrhosis is a chronic disease in which scarring occurs in the liver and causes permanent damage. The scarring prevents the liver from working properly. It can eventually lead to liver failure. Many patients have no signs or symptoms until their liver is badly damaged.

Causes

Cirrhosis is caused by a variety of diseases, including the hepatitis B and hepatitis C viruses and alcoholic liver disease. Serious medical complications can happen as a result of cirrhosis.

Symptoms

People with cirrhosis may experience fatigue, nausea and pain in the abdomen, dark stools, swelling in the abdomen and legs, easy bruising and confusion. If you have these symptoms, you should seek medical attention as soon as possible.

Treatment(s)

If you are diagnosed with cirrhosis, it is very important to make an appointment to see a hepatologist, a medical specialist trained in diseases of the liver, as soon as possible. The treatment of cirrhosis can be complicated, may involve a variety of medications and procedures¬--and evaluations by different specialists. The multidisciplinary team at our Liver Center includes hepatologists, interventional radiologists, nutritionists and social workers, who work to coordinate your care. Depending on your condition, there are several treatment options that might include a paracentesis to remove fluid in your abdomen or an endoscopy to detect the presence of abnormal, enlarged veins. If you have cirrhosis and are vomiting blood, have a fever, feeling sick in general, or experience any other medical emergency, please visit your local hospital immediately.

Programs + Services | Doctors + Care Team | Research + Clinical Trials | News

Programs + Services

Hepatology

Tufts Center for Liver Disease specializes in treating liver disease, such as cirrhosis, fatty liver, viral hepatitis, primary biliary cirrhosis and primary sclerosing cholangitis.
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Mohammad Almeqdadi, MD

Accepting New Patients

Title(s): Transplant Hepatologist and Instructor
Department(s): Surgery, Transplant Surgery
Appt. Phone: 617-636-4886
Fax #: 617-636-1003

Liver Transplant, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Autoimmune Liver Diseases, Hemochromatosis, Portal Hypertension, Cirrhosis, Hepatocellular Carcinoma

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Alyson Kaplan, MD, MSc

Accepting New Patients

Title(s): Transplant Hepatologist and Instructor
Department(s): Surgery, Transplant Surgery
Appt. Phone: 617-636-4886
Fax #: 617-636-1003

Liver Transplant, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Autoimmune Liver Diseases, Hemochromatosis, Portal Hypertension, Cirrhosis, Hepatocellular Carcinoma

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Raffi Karagozian, MD

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Accepting New Patients

Virtual Appointments Available

Online Scheduling Available

Title(s): Hepatologist; Program Director, Gastroenterology Fellowship Program; Assistant Professor, Tufts University School of Medicine
Department(s): Medicine, Gastroenterology
Appt. Phone: 617-636-5883
Fax #: 617-636-4505

Abnormal liver tests, cirrhosis, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, Hepatitis B/C, liver transplant, primary biliary cholangitis, primary sclerosing cholangitis, benign liver lesions, liver cancer, hemochromatosis, and drug induced liver injury.

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Xiaocen Zhang, MD

Accepting New Patients

Title(s): Gastroenterologist and Assistant Professor
Department(s): Gastroenterology, Gastroenterology and Hepatology
Appt. Phone: 617-636-5883
Fax #: 617-636-1480

Upper endoscopy, colonoscopy, colon polyp removal, esophageal varices, intestinal bleeding, hereditary colon cancer syndrome, reflux disease, irritable bowel syndrome, diarrhea, constipation, trouble swallowing, abdominal pain, portal hypertension, abnormal liver test, cirrhosis, hepatitis

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Research + Clinical Trials

Evaluation of Efficacy, Safety and Tolerability of NGM282 (Aldafermin) in a Phase 2b, Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled, Multi-center Study in Subjects with Compensated Cirrhosis Due to Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis (ALPINE 4)

You are being invited to consider participation in a clinical research study for patients with cirrhosis caused by nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) This study involves research and is conducted to determine the safety and efficacy of a new investigational drug called aldafermin (previously known as NGM282
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A RANDOMIZED, DOUBLE-BLIND, PLACEBO-CONTROLLED, MULTICENTER STUDY TO ASSESS THE EFFICACY AND SAFETY OF RIFAXIMIN SOLUBLE SOLID DISPERSION (SSD) TABLETS FOR THE DELAY OF ENCEPHALOPATHY DECOMPENSATION IN CIRRHOSIS (RED-C)

The primary objective of this study is to assess the efficacy of rifaximin SSD-40IR versus placebo to delay the occurrence of HE-related hospitalization.
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