Study for Advanced Liver Disease Reaches 100 Participants

Individuals suffering from advanced liver disease are participating in research aimed at enhancing their quality of life and benefiting future sufferers. University Hospitals Plymouth (UHP) reported that those with liver disease frequently develop an accumulation of fluid in their abdomen, leading to discomfort and necessitating drainage procedures that require hospital attendance. The REDUCe 2 study, which receives funding from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, is investigating whether the use of a long-term abdominal drain can elevate patients’ quality of life and decrease the necessity for regular hospital visits. UHP has now successfully enrolled its 100th patient into this research initiative. For individuals with advanced liver disease who do not qualify for a liver transplant, the treatment’s objective is to alleviate disease symptoms and enhance their overall quality of life. According to research nurse Kelly Bowers, “We hope that the lived experience of all REDUCe 2 participants throughout the study will help to develop a very clear set of guidelines which will ensure that all patients can receive drainage of ascitic fluid, in a way that works for them and that they prefer at the end of their lives.”