Recruiting

Understanding liver disease through genetic and clinical research

Plain-English translation of NCT00001971 on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗ · Source last updated September 2026 · Translation generated August 2026 · How we translate trials

What is this trial?

Researchers at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases are building a large collection of blood, tissue, and genetic samples from people with various types of liver disease. The goal is to better understand how liver diseases develop, progress, and respond to treatment—and whether certain genes play a role in who gets sick and who recovers well.

Right now, doctors don't fully understand why some people develop liver disease and others don't, or why the same disease affects different people so differently. By studying genetic material and medical information from many patients over time, researchers hope to discover new clues that could eventually lead to better treatments and prevention strategies.

Do you qualify?

You likely qualify if…

you are at least 2 years old (if you have liver disease) or at least 18 years old (if you are a healthy volunteer)
you have been diagnosed with or show signs of liver disease—such as hepatitis B, C, or D, cirrhosis, or fatty liver disease
you are at risk for developing liver disease
you are willing to provide blood samples and possibly other samples (like saliva or urine) during clinical visits

You likely don't qualify if…

you have serious medical illnesses that would make it difficult for you to follow up with the study over time
you are a healthy volunteer with a chronic condition like heart, kidney, or lung disease
you are taking regular medications or supplements (except multivitamins or birth control pills)
you have a history of liver disease—unless you are a healthy volunteer who only had jaundice as a newborn
you are pregnant or living with HIV or hepatitis

What participation looks like

If you have liver disease, you will visit the clinic for routine medical evaluation and follow-up visits over time. During these visits, doctors will collect blood samples, and possibly samples of saliva, urine, stool, or tissue if a liver biopsy is already planned as part of your care. If you are a healthy volunteer, you will have one visit to give a blood sample for genetic comparison. All samples are stored in a repository and used for future research studies on liver disease.

AI-generated summary from trial data · Aug 19, 2026 · Not medical advice

Trial locations(1 site)

United States

National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, Bethesda, Maryland