Bariatric Embolization of Arteries for the Treatment of Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis

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Conditions studied: Obesity, Weight Loss, Body Weight, Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis, Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, NAFLD

In brief

Obesity is an epidemic in the US. With progression of obesity, Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) has been a growing public health issue. Presently there is no cure for NASH.Prevention of progression of fibrosis in NASH is crucial, as they are at a high risk for cirrhosis and may need liver transplant. Recent studies have shown that blocking blood vessels to a particular portion of the stomach (bariatric or left gastric artery embolization) can temporarily decrease levels of the appetite inducing hormone ghrelin, and result in weight loss.The purpose of this study is to determine if Left gastric artery embolization (LGAE) in patients with obesity and NASH leads to clinically significant weight loss with improvement of NASH.

Key facts

Study ID: NCT02933554
Run by: Keith Pereira, MD:
People needed: 8
Starts: 2025-12-01
Expected to finish: 2027-06-01
Last updated by the study team: 2025-07-28

Who can join

Age: 22 and older, up to 65. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: accepted.

You may qualify if…

Male or Female, aged 22 years or older.
Willing, able and mentally competent to provide written informed consent and willing to comply with all study procedures and be available for the duration of the study
BMI >35 kg/m2
Adequate hematological, hepatic and renal function as follows:
Hematological: Hematological: If the bariatric embolization procedure is being performed by femoral access: platelets > 50 x 109/L, INR <1.5. If the bariatric embolization procedure is being performed by radial access: platelets >35 x 109/L and INR <1.5 OR platelets >50 x 109/L and INR between 1.5 and 2."
Hepatic : Total bilirubin <3 mg/dL
Renal: Estimated GFR > 60ml/min.1.73m2
If Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression (CESD) score > or =16 AND is in care of behavior health specialist who has indicated patient has adequate coping mechanisms to undergo procedure and does not foresee mental health as barrier to participation in study.
Elevated alanine or aspartate aminotransferase values (ALT >41 or AST>34 U/L).
Liver biopsy showing evidence of NASH in the past 12 months.
No evidence of another form of liver disease.
Patients diagnosed with NASH and have evidence of failing other methods of weight loss through diet, exercise and behavior modification.

You may not qualify if…

Pregnancy
Active substance abuse
Significant psychiatric problems, severe enough to cause suffering or a poor ability to function in life. Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression (CESD) score > or = 16 without psychiatric evaluation. [If Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression (CESD) score > or =16 AND is in care of behavior health specialist who has indicated patient has adequate coping mechanisms to undergo procedure and does not foresee mental health as barrier to participation in study.]
Significant alcohol consumption ( >20 g/day in women, >30 g/day in men)
Weight > 400 lbs, BMI > 50 kg/m2.
Contraindications to obtaining a liver biopsy
Subjects with pre-existing abdominal pain will be excluded (because of the potential confusion with pain related to the procedure).
Subjects who are intolerant to PPIs
Subjects requiring any anticoagulant medications should be excluded if radial access cannot be obtained.
Subjects with platelets <35 x 109/L and INR > 2.0
Subjects who are taking aspirin/ NSAIDs and in whom these medications are unable to be withdrawn from aspirin and NSAIDs for at least 3 days prior to the LGAE procedure and for 30 days following the LGAE procedure (because of the potential risks of gastric bleeding following the procedure).
Presence of systemic illness or other medical conditions relevant to survival .(Note that in the HCC pre liver transplant cohort, the presence of HCC will not be considered an exclusion criteria)
Metastatic cancer
Evidence of decompensated liver disease (uncontrolled ascites, or uncontrolled spontaneous encephalopathy)
prior surgical weight loss procedures including gastroplasty, jejunoileal, or jejunocolic bypass, total parenteral nutrition within the past 6 months; Prior history of gastric pancreatic, hepatic, and/or splenic surgery
Prior embolization to the stomach, spleen or liver, unless the prior embolization was a transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) to the liver for HCC.
If review of available prior imaging studies (i.e CT, MRI, or US)shows potential anatomical variations, presence of severe atheromatous disease, large arteriovenous shunting of blood.
Abnormal Endoscopy - large sliding hiatal hernia or paraesophageal hernia, active peptic ulcer disease, active H. pylori infection
History of abnormal Nuclear Gastric Motility examination-defined as delayed emptying of gastric contents > 90%, 60% and 10% at 1 hour, 2 hours, and 4 hours respectively.
ASA Class 4 or 5
Child Pugh classification C
Known aortic disease, such as dissection or aneurysm; peripheral arterial disease or other cardiovascular disease.
Type 2 diabetes on anti-diabetic medications that are known to cause hypoglycemia. e.g. sulphonylureas, meglitinides
Patients with a known other cause for their increased liver enzyme levels such as viral hepatitis (B or C), autoimmune/chronic immune hepatitis, primary biliary cholangitis, metabolic and genetic hemochromatosis, Wilson's disease, or alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency
Patient taking hepatotoxic drugs. List of drugs causing steatohepatitis include but are not limited to: amiodarone, chemotherapy (5-fluorouracil, tamoxifen, irinotecan, cisplatin, and asparaginase), glucocorticoids, methotrexate, sulfonamides, antithyroid drugs, phenytoin, tetracyclines, isoniazid, salicylates, and valproic acid.

Where it is running

Saint Louis University — St Louis, Missouri, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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