HO-1 in Liver Surgery (HOLS Study)

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  Induction of Heme Oxygenase-1: A Therapeutic Approach to Reduce Hepatic Ischaemia-Reperfusion Injury in Liver Surgery

• IRAS ID

  1764

• Sponsor organisation

  University of Edinburgh

• Eudract number

  2008-005955-40

• ISRCTN Number

  Awaited

• Research summary

  Liver surgery is a life saving treatment for certain conditions. The most common reason for liver surgery is for cancer that has spread from the bowel to the liver. Bowel cancer spreads to the liver in about half of all cases, and an operation to remove part of the liver gives the best chance of a cure. However, this is a major operation, and it carries significant risks including death, which can occur in up to one in twenty patients (5%). Hence there is both a need for liver surgery and a need for new treatments to reduce the risks of this type of operation. Poor function of the remaining liver following liver surgery is the main reason that the risks of the operation are so high. Currently there is specific treatment for this. There is evidence from laboratory experiments that giving a treatment to the liver before this type of operation can prevent the liver from being damaged. We intend to use a drug called heme arginate to see if it can induce the protective protein heme oxygenase-1(HO-1). This has potential to protect the liver from damage during the operation, and help liver recovery following the operation.We will perform a randomised controlled trial of heme arginate in 42 patients undergoing liver surgery at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh. This study will examine whether the drug can induce a protective response in the liver (i.e. increase HO-1), and if that can improve recovery from this type of operation.

• REC name

  Scotland A REC

• REC reference

  08/MRE00/98

• Date of REC Opinion

  2 Dec 2008

• REC opinion

  Favourable Opinion