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Hepatic Encephalopathy (HE)THEUDCANCT07273734

UDCA to Prevent Post-TIPS Hepatic Encephalopathy

A study testing Ursodeoxycholic Acid (UDCA) and Lactulose in people with Hepatic Encephalopathy (HE) and TIPS, run by West China Hospital at 1 site in China.

Not yet recruiting

Opening soon. The study is approved but enrolment has not started yet. Sites may already take enquiries.

Sites and contacts
Official record
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Trial summary

Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) commonly occurs after transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS). Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) has been reported to alleviate neurodegenerative disease recently. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 to 80 years
Conditions the study is for
Hepatic Encephalopathy (HE), TIPS
What is being tested?
Ursodeoxycholic Acid (UDCA) and Lactulose
Type of treatment
Pill or oral medicine
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
270 participants
Where
1 siteChina
Study dates
1 Jan 2026to 31 Dec 2027
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
Not yet: the study is under way

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 to 80 years
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Age 18-80 years.
  • Confirmed cirrhosis (biopsy, elastography, or standard radiologic/biochemical criteria).
  • Elective TIPS for (a) refractory/recurrent ascites and/or (b) recurrent variceal bleeding not responsive to treatment with endoscopic band ligation and beta-blockers.
  • Preemptive TIPS for patients with variceal bleeding and Child-Pugh C (10-13 points), patients with Child-Pugh B and active bleeding during endoscopy, or patients with hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG) ≥ 20 mmHg.
  • Ability to start study drug within 72 hours before TIPS.
  • Signed informed consent.

Who cannot join

  • Contraindications to TIPS (e.g., severe heart failure ≥NYHA III, severe pulmonary hypertension, uncontrolled sepsis, advanced HCC at risk with TIPS, unrelieved biliary obstruction, Child-Pugh score >13, main-trunk PVT if not recanalizable, technical infeasibility).
  • Prior OHE grade II-IV without precipitating factor; overt neurological disease affecting cognition (e.g., Parkinson's, Alzheimer's).
  • Current or planned ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) therapy for an approved indication (e.g., primary biliary cholangitis), or UDCA use within the prior 3 months.
  • Current/recent rifaximin use (<3 months) or strong UDCA contraindication/hypersensitivity.
  • Salvage TIPS.
  • Non-cirrhotic portal hypertension.
  • Pregnancy/lactation.
  • Any condition that, in investigators' judgment, precludes safe participation.

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.

China1 site
  • West China Hospital, Sichuan University

    Chengdu

    Xiaoze Wang, MD, (+86)15208207573, wang_xiaoze@wchscu.cn

Other trials in China

About this study

Official title: A Multicenter, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial of Ursodeoxycholic Acid Plus Lactulose vs Lactulose Alone for the Prevention of Overt Hepatic Encephalopathy After TIPS Placement

Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) commonly occurs after transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS). Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) has been reported to alleviate neurodegenerative disease recently. This open-label multicenter randomized controlled trial tests whether adding UDCA (13-15 mg/kg/day) to standard lactulose prophylaxis reduces the incidence of overt HE (OHE; West Haven grade II-IV) after TIPS, compared with lactulose alone. The regimen starts within 72 hours before TIPS and continues for 3 months. The trial aims to evaluate the effect of UDCA in reducing the incidence of post-TIPS OHE.

Read the detailed description

Post-TIPS OHE occurs in 35-50% of patients and worsens quality of life and resource use. Existing guidance consistently recommends lactulose as the backbone therapy for HE and for secondary prophylaxis, titrated to 2-3 soft stools/day; however, evidence for primary prophylaxis after TIPS has been limited and heterogeneous, and consensus varies across documents. Hydrophilic bile acids, especially ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA), have demonstrated important anti-apoptotic and neuroprotective activities in clinical practice. Published experimental and clinical evidence suggests its potential therapeutic use as a disease-modifier in neurodegenerative and metabolic brain diseases. This trial evaluates whether bile-acid modulation with UDCA at standard hepatology dosing (13-15 mg/kg/day) combined with lactulose reduces early post-TIPS OHE. The protocol uses stratified randomization, prespecified outcome adjudication (West Haven), and intention-to-treat analysis. Key secondary endpoints include mortality, transplant-free survival, minimal HE tests (PHES, Stroop test), frailty, quality of life, and bile-acid/metabolomic profiling in optional sub-studies.

Being tested
Ursodeoxycholic Acid (UDCA), Lactulose
Keywords
TIPS, UDCA, Hepatic Encephalopathy (HE), Ursodeoxycholic acid
Medical subject headings
Hepatic Encephalopathy

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Ursodeoxycholic Acid (UDCA)Drug

    13-15 mg/kg/day orally, in divided doses (BID), starting ≤72 hours before TIPS and continued for 3 months.

  • LactuloseDrug

    Syrup 25 mL BID, initiated after TIPS procedure, titrated to 1-2 soft stools/day, with dose reduction if diarrhea occurs.

Study groups in NCT07273734
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
UDCA + LactuloseExperimentalUrsodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) 13-15 mg/kg/day orally, in divided doses (BID), starting ≤72 hours before TIPS and continued for 3 months. Lactulose syrup (25 mL BID) is initiated after TIPS procedure, titrated to achieve 1-2 soft stools per day, with stepwise dose reduction if diarrhea occurs.
Receives: Drug: Ursodeoxycholic Acid (UDCA); Drug: Lactulose
Lactulose AloneActive comparatorLactulose syrup (25 mL BID) is initiated after TIPS procedure, titrated to achieve 1-2 soft stools per day, with dose reduction as needed if diarrhea develops.
Receives: Drug: Lactulose

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Incidence of Overt Hepatic Encephalopathy (OHE) within 3 Months After TIPS

    OHE defined as first occurrence of West Haven grade II-IV hepatic encephalopathy within 3 months after covered TIPS, adjudicated by investigator assessment according to West Haven criteria.

    Measured: From TIPS procedure (Day 0) to 3 months post-TIPS (Day 90).

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted9 Dec 2025
  2. Study start1 Jan 2026 (estimated)
  3. Primary completion30 Jun 2027 (estimated)
  4. Study completion31 Dec 2027 (estimated)

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Prevention
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Masking
None (open label)
Enrolment
270 participants (estimated)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT07273734
Sponsor's protocol ID
THE001
Acronym
THEUDCA
Status last verified
Nov 2025
First submitted
26 Nov 2025
Last updated
9 Dec 2025
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
Undecided

Publications

  • Maharshi S, Sharma BC. Prophylaxis of hepatic encephalopathy: current and future drug targets. Hepatol Int. 2024 Aug;18(4):1096-1109. doi: 10.1007/s12072-024-10647-9. Epub 2024 Mar 16.

    PubMed 38492132
  • Kronsten VT, Paintsil EK, Rodrigues S, Seager MJ, Bernal W, Shawcross DL. Hepatic Encephalopathy: When Lactulose and Rifaximin Are Not Working. Gastroenterology. 2025 Jun;168(6):1076-1084.e1. doi: 10.1053/j.gastro.2025.01.010. Epub 2025 Jan 24. No abstract available.

    PubMed 39864468
  • Djernes L, Vilstrup H, Ott P, Eriksen PL. Blood ammonia concentration measurement - effects of sampling site and cirrhosis during induced hyperammonaemia. Metab Brain Dis. 2024 Nov 20;40(1):21. doi: 10.1007/s11011-024-01442-4.

    PubMed 39565434
  • Shawcross DL, Thabut D, Amodio P. Ammonia - an enduring foe - What evaluating whole body ammonia metabolism can teach us about cirrhosis and therapies treating hepatic encephalopathy. J Hepatol. 2023 Aug;79(2):266-268. doi: 10.1016/j.jhep.2023.04.039. Epub 2023 May 12. No abstract available.

    PubMed 37178732
  • Wang X, Luo X, Yang L. Achieving an effective pressure reduction after TIPS: The need for a new target. J Hepatol. 2021 Jul;75(1):246-248. doi: 10.1016/j.jhep.2021.02.010. Epub 2021 Feb 20. No abstract available.

    PubMed 33621635
  • Wang X, Liu G, Wu J, Xiao X, Yan Y, Guo Y, Yang J, Li X, He Y, Yang L, Luo X. Small-Diameter Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt versus Endoscopic Variceal Ligation Plus Propranolol for Variceal Rebleeding in Advanced Cirrhosis. Radiology. 2023 Aug;308(2):e223201. doi: 10.1148/radiol.223201.

    PubMed 37606572
  • Xiang Y, Tie J, Wang G, Zhuge Y, Wu H, Zhu X, Xue H, Liu S, Yang L, Xu J, Zhang F, Zhang M, Wei B, Li P, Wang Z, Wu W, Chen C, Yang S, Han Y, Tang C, Qi X, Zhang C. Post-TIPS Overt Hepatic Encephalopathy Increases Long-Term but Not Short-Term Mortality in Cirrhotic Patients With Variceal Bleeding: A Large-Scale, Multicenter Real-World Study. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2025 Apr;61(7):1183-1196. doi: 10.1111/apt.18509. Epub 2025 Feb 17.

    PubMed 39962750
  • Liu J, Ma J, Yang C, Chen M, Shi Q, Zhou C, Huang S, Chen Y, Wang Y, Li T, Xiong B. Sarcopenia in Patients with Cirrhosis after Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt Placement. Radiology. 2022 Jun;303(3):711-719. doi: 10.1148/radiol.211172. Epub 2022 Mar 15.

    PubMed 35289658
  • Lv Y, Wang Q, Luo B, Bai W, Li M, Li K, Wang Z, Xia D, Guo W, Li X, Yuan J, Zhang N, Wang X, Xie H, Pan Y, Nie Y, Yin Z, Fan D, Han G. Identifying the optimal measurement timing and hemodynamic targets of portal pressure gradient after TIPS in patients with cirrhosis and variceal bleeding. J Hepatol. 2025 Feb;82(2):245-257. doi: 10.1016/j.jhep.2024.08.007. Epub 2024 Aug 22.

    PubMed 39181214
  • Ehrenbauer AF, Egge JFM, Gabriel MM, Tiede A, Dirks M, Witt J, Wedemeyer H, Maasoumy B, Weissenborn K. Comparison of 6 tests for diagnosing minimal hepatic encephalopathy and predicting clinical outcome: A prospective, observational study. Hepatology. 2024 Aug 1;80(2):389-402. doi: 10.1097/HEP.0000000000000770. Epub 2024 Feb 13.

    PubMed 38349709
  • Casadaban LC, Parvinian A, Minocha J, Lakhoo J, Grant CW, Ray CE Jr, Knuttinen MG, Bui JT, Gaba RC. Clearing the Confusion over Hepatic Encephalopathy After TIPS Creation: Incidence, Prognostic Factors, and Clinical Outcomes. Dig Dis Sci. 2015 Apr;60(4):1059-66. doi: 10.1007/s10620-014-3391-0. Epub 2014 Oct 15.

    PubMed 25316553

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Ursodeoxycholic Acid (UDCA) and Lactulose in people with Hepatic Encephalopathy (HE) and TIPS, run by West China Hospital at 1 site in China.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 6 inclusion and 8 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: opening soon, as of the sponsor's last update on 9 Dec 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in China. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

Contact Xiaoze Wang, MD ((+86)15208207573, wang_xiaoze@wchscu.cn), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Incidence of Overt Hepatic Encephalopathy (OHE) within 3 Months After TIPS (time frame: From TIPS procedure (Day 0) to 3 months post-TIPS (Day 90).). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT07273734, which also lists 11 linked publications.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 9 Dec 2025.

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