Description Module
The Description Module contains narrative descriptions of the clinical trial, including a brief summary and detailed description. These descriptions provide important information about the study's purpose, methodology, and key details in language accessible to both researchers and the general public.
Description Module path is as follows:
Study -> Protocol Section -> Description Module
Description Module
Ignite Creation Date:
2025-12-24 @ 4:30 PM
Ignite Modification Date:
2025-12-24 @ 4:30 PM
NCT ID:
NCT01408966
Brief Summary:
This study was aimed at testing the hypothesis that supplementing a meal with dark chocolate, which holds potent antioxidant properties, might attenuate the postprandial increase in the hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG, clinical equivalent of portal pressure) in patients with cirrhosis
Detailed Description:
Previous studies showed that the intrahepatic circulation in cirrhosis is not able to adapt to sudden increases in blood flow, such as that occurring after a meal, due to endothelial dysfunction. This leads to a brisk increase in portal pressure (estimated by the HVPG). This method is therefore useful to assess the efficacy of compounds potentially ameliorating intrahepatic endothelial dysfunction. Dark chocolate, which contains a high proportion of cocoa flavonoids such as cathechin and epicatechin- powerful antioxidants, increases NO availability in the systemic circulation and improves systemic endothelial function. We hypothesised that the antioxidant properties of dark chocolate could be beneficial in patients with cirrhosis, since they might improve intrahepatic endothelial dysfunction. Consequently, the aim of this study was to evaluate whether a dark chocolate-containing test meal may attenuate the post-prandial increase in HVPG in patients with cirrhosis and portal hypertension.
HVPG was measured at baseline and 30 minutes after the administration of a test meal supplemented by either dark or white chocolate. Portal vein blood flow and hepatic artery blood flow were measured by Doppler ultrasound. Catechins and NOx were determined for both timepoints.
Study:
NCT01408966
Study Brief:
Protocol Section:
NCT01408966