Can a simple ultrasound spot muscle loss in liver disease?
NCT ID NCT07667608
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This observational study will use bedside ultrasound to measure the diaphragm—the main breathing muscle—in 120 adults with liver cirrhosis and compare them to healthy volunteers. Researchers want to see if cirrhosis weakens the diaphragm and if removing fluid from the belly improves its function. They will also check if ultrasound measurements can reliably detect muscle loss (sarcopenia) compared to CT scans.
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 a simple, low-cost ultrasound test to detect muscle wasting and breathing problems early in people with liver cirrhosis.
- What could go wrong
- This is an early observational study with only 120 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. It does not test a treatment, so it won't directly improve health.
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.
- Participants
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About 120 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Expected to start
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Aug 2026
An estimate. Start dates often move.
- Expected to finish
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Dec 2027
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.
Who is studied
Adults (≥18 years of age) with confirmed diagnosis of liver cirrhosis attending the hepatology outpatient clinic or admitted to the hepatology inpatient unit of the study institution. Study Subgroups The total study sample will consist of 120 participants, including 95 patients with liver cirrhosis and 25 healthy controls. The cirrhotic cohort will include patients across different Child-Pugh classes and MELD scores and will encompass clinically relevant subgroups such as patients with ascites undergoing paracentesis, hepatic hydrothorax, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). * Subgroup A: Ascites/Paracentesis (n=30): Patients with tense or refractory ascites for whom large-volume paracentesis is clinically indicated. This subgroup will contribute both cross-sectional and longitudinal (pre/post paracentesis) data. * Subgroup B: Hepatic Hydrothorax (n=40): Twenty patients with confirmed hepatic hydrothorax (HH; defined as pleural effusion \>500 mL in the absence of primary cardiopulm
- Ages
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18 years and older
- 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: 1. Age ≥18 years. 2. Confirmed diagnosis of liver cirrhosis based on clinical, biochemical, histological, or imaging criteria. 3. Ability to provide written informed consent in Arabic or English. 4. For Subgroup A: clinical indication for large-volume paracentesis with an ascitic volume of ≥5 liters. 5. For Subgroup B: confirmed hepatic hydrothorax or confirmed absence of pleural effusion on ultrasound or chest X-ray. 6. For Subgroup C: radiologically confirmed HCC by triphasic CT or MRI according to EASL/AASLD diagnostic criteria, with available CT imaging for L3 SMI analysis. Exclusion Criteria: 1. Significant pre-existing primary pulmonary disease (e.g., moderate-to-severe COPD defined as FEV1/FVC \<70% with FEV1 \<60% predicted, interstitial lung disease, pulmonary fibrosis) that independently affects diaphragmatic mechanics. 2. Recent thoracic surgery, thoracocentesis within the preceding 72 hours, or thoracic trauma. 3. Neuromuscular disease (e.g., myasthenia gravis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Guillain-Barré syndrome) independently affecting diaphragmatic function. 4. Active mechanical ventilation at time of enrollment. 5. Pregnancy. 6. Inability to achieve adequate ultrasound acoustic windows (e.g., due to extreme obesity or surgical dressings). 7. Contraindications to paracentesis in Subgroup A (e.g., disseminated intravascular coagulation, bowel obstruction). 8. Prior or planned liver transplantation within the study period, which would confound longitudinal follow-up. 9. Refusal or inability to provide informed consent.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
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How to take part
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The official record
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A doctor treating you
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