| Dear Readers of and | | | | A second study looked at whether MRE can |
| Is There an Alternative to Liver Biopsy? | | | | accurately measure portal hypertension, |
| Those of you who have followed our | | | | or high blood pressure in the portal |
| timely reports on hepatitis c know that | | | | vein that carries blood from the |
| we endeavor to bring you updated | | | | digestive track to the liver, usually as |
| information about new approaches to the | | | | a result of cirrhosis of the liver. This |
| treatment and diagnosis of this dreadful | | | | study involved 35 individuals with |
| virus. As the baby-boomer generation | | | | varying degrees of chronic liver disease |
| ages, more and more people are now | | | | and 12 healthy volunteers. Researchers |
| finding out that they have acquired the | | | | studied MRE examinations of liver and |
| hepatitis c virus. Many do not know when | | | | spleen stiffness and found that a highly |
| or how they got the virus, but most | | | | significant correlation exists between |
| people still want sensible and minimally | | | | liver and spleen stiffness in patients |
| invasive treatments to help them | | | | with portal hypertension. However, the |
| overcome much of the damage caused by | | | | validity of spleen stiffness as a |
| the hepatitis c virus. | | | | noninvasive measure of portal venous |
| You already know that one of the tests | | | | pressure requires further study. |
| recommended by hepatologists is the | | | | This research was funded in part by the |
| liver biopsy. A liver biopsy is the | | | | National Institutes of Health. |
| taking of a small sample of liver tissue | | | | Co-authors of these studies include Meng |
| which is extracted usually with a needle | | | | Yin; Roger Grimm; Phillip Rossman; |
| and examined under a microscope. For | | | | Armando Manduca, Ph.D.; Patrick Kamath, |
| many years, this method has been | | | | M.D. and Dr. Ehman; all from Mayo |
| considered by hepatologists as the gold | | | | Clinic's campus in Rochester; and |
| standard for gauging the extent of liver | | | | Anthony Romano, Ph.D., of the Naval |
| damage in people with chronic hepatitis. | | | | Research Laboratory in Washington, D.C. |
| Of course, liver biopsies are not | | | | Most of the people who are afraid of the |
| without complications and many people | | | | liver biopsy are the same people who |
| with hepatitis c are reluctant to | | | | shutter at the thought of having to take |
| undergo the procedure. There can be pain | | | | interferon chemotherapy. Many others |
| involved; drug users in particular may | | | | have undergone the interferon treatment |
| legitimately fear that they will not get | | | | and have relapsed. Now they are looking |
| adequate pain medication. In addition, | | | | for an alternative way with relatively |
| liver biopsies are contra-indicated for | | | | no side-effects, because they swear they |
| some people (for example, people with | | | | will NEVER undergo interferon treatment |
| low platelet counts). Furthermore, | | | | again. |
| biopsy complications can occur, | | | | For those who do not already know us by |
| including excessive bleeding and | | | | name, we are Samglo Enterprises LTD, and |
| infection. And even under the best of | | | | we are the makers of Nu-Liver herbal |
| circumstances, biopsies fail to | | | | remedy for hepatitis C. |
| accurately diagnose the stage of liver | | | | The Chinese people cannot afford the |
| fibrosis about 20% of the time. Thus, | | | | cost of biopsy or interferon treatment. |
| researchers have sought other markers | | | | Perhaps this is a blessing in disguise. |
| that could signal liver damage without | | | | They have, instead, followed a course of |
| the need for biopsy. | | | | herbal therapy that extends well over |
| In our first report, we told you about | | | | 5,000 years. Because of the huge amount |
| the availability of HCV FIBROSURE, a | | | | of time the Chinese have spent treating |
| non-invasive blood test for assessing | | | | individuals with herbs, we have to now |
| liver status in hepatitis C virus | | | | assume that the Chinese have gotten very |
| patients. Developed in France, HCV | | | | good using herbs and herbal treatments. |
| Fibrosure is only available in the | | | | And so they have. Presently, over 1 |
| United States through LabCorp. But now, | | | | million Chinese individuals are taking |
| two recent Mayo Clinic studies have | | | | the Nu-Liver formulation for their |
| found that magnetic resonance | | | | hepatitis C liver disease. Science is |
| elastography (MRE), a new imaging | | | | continuing to evolve and better and |
| technique invented at Mayo Clinic, is an | | | | safer methods are hopefully just around |
| accurate tool for non-invasive diagnosis | | | | the corner. But we must be alive in |
| of liver diseases. | | | | order to receive these new scientific |
| Here's how MRE works. The liver responds | | | | findings. That is our purpose at Samglo |
| to many diseases that damage its cells | | | | Enterprises: to keep you alive, to keep |
| by developing scar tissue or fibrosis. | | | | the hepatitis c virus from doing further |
| MRE uses a modified form of magnetic | | | | harm to your liver, so that when science |
| resonance imaging (MRI) to accurately | | | | catches up with the virus, you will be |
| measure the hardness or elasticity of | | | | there to receive the newer treatments. |
| the liver. By applying vibrations to the | | | | We want you ALIVE, and functioning |
| liver, MRE obtains pictures of the | | | | normally until that time comes. We will |
| mechanical waves passing through the | | | | not accept treatments that are worse |
| organ. The wave pictures are then | | | | than the disease itself, that destroy |
| processed to generate a quantitative | | | | the host in an attempt to kill the |
| image of tissue stiffness. "Healthy | | | | virus. Until there are safer, more |
| liver tissue is very soft, while a liver | | | | practical, economical, and side-effect |
| with fibrosis is firmer, and a liver | | | | free western treatments to cure |
| with cirrhosis is almost rock-hard," | | | | hepatitis c, we believe that NU-LIVER is |
| says Richard Ehman, M.D., lead | | | | the best eastern treatment, virtually |
| researcher on the MRE project. "If | | | | side-effect free remedy in today's |
| detected early, fibrosis of the liver | | | | marketplace. The Chinese must be doing |
| can be treated, but once the disease has | | | | something right. We are thankful to the |
| progressed to cirrhosis, the condition | | | | Chinese Medical Doctor who brought |
| is irreversible." | | | | Nu-Liver to the United States, and also |
| In one study involving MRE examinations | | | | to the tens of thousands of Americans, |
| of 57 individuals with chronic liver | | | | Europeans, and Australians,who currently |
| disease and 20 healthy volunteers, the | | | | take Nu-Liver for their hepatitis C. |
| researchers confirmed that MRE | | | | As always, we wish you the Best of |
| accurately detects fibrosis with high | | | | Health. |
| sensitivity and specificity. | | | | |