Gene hunt for mysterious adult liver disease
NCT ID NCT07317193
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study is using advanced whole-genome sequencing to find hidden genetic causes of cholestatic liver disease in adults whose condition remains unexplained after standard tests. Researchers will compare the DNA of 60 affected adults to a large group of healthy controls. The goal is to improve diagnosis and understanding of these rare liver disorders.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could lead to better genetic testing for adults with unexplained liver disease, helping doctors diagnose and manage the condition more effectively.
- What could go wrong
- This is an early-stage observational study with only 60 participants, so findings may not apply to everyone. Genetic sequencing may not find a cause for many patients.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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About 60 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Nov 2025
- Expected to finish
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Oct 2026
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 to 65 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: Cases: * Adults, aged \> 18 years with: 1. persistent or intermittent elevations in serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) or gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) for at least six months not explained following standard diagnostic assessment adhering to the guidelines of the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL), or with a positive family history of unexplained cholestasis or hepato-biliary cancer, negative to previous genetic tests (targeted panel for PFIC genes or WES); 2. primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) with unusual features: small-duct PSC, non-typical radiological findings according to radiological guidelines on PSC, absence of concomitant inflammatory bowel disease, negative to previous genetic tests (targeted panel for PFIC genes or WES) or who didn't perform previous genetic test; 3. primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) without specific anti-mitochondrial antibodies, negative to previous genetic tests (targeted panel for PFIC genes or WES) or who didn't perform previous genetic test. * Signature of informed consent Controls: -Blood donors (age 18-65 years) without clinical signs of liver diseases based on the collected clinical parameters: anthropometric (BMI\>18 and \<25), haematological (Hb, white blood cells, platelets within the reference range), biochemical traits (albumin, bilirubin, AST, ALT, GGT, ALP within the reference range), medical history (negative for chronic or concomitant diseases, including immunological diseases) Exclusion Criteria: Cases: * Patients who do not possess the above inclusion criteria or have at least one of the following exclusion criteria: * an already known genetic diagnosis explaining the clinical phenotype * affected by other causes of liver disease such as viral or autoimmune hepatitis Controls: -Blood donors with clinical signs of liver diseases
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Genom att skicka in godkänner du våra Användarvillkor
Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico - Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico di natura pubblica
RECRUITINGMilan, Milano, 20122, Italy
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