Integrated care for alcohol use and alcohol-related liver disease at UofL
Integrated therapies for alcohol use and ALD (ITAALD) Network -UofL Clinical Center
This program combines medical treatments, counseling, and new therapies to help people with alcohol-related liver disease, especially those with severe alcohol-associated hepatitis.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Louisville NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Louisville, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11194418 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you join, liver specialists and addiction specialists work together to coordinate your care so you get both medical treatment for liver injury and support to stop drinking. Some patients may be offered FDA-approved addiction medicines like acamprosate when safe, while others may be offered newer drugs (for example IL-22) or standard treatments such as prednisone under careful monitoring. Behavioral therapy such as motivational interviewing will be offered alongside medical care to help reduce return to drinking. The program runs through a network and may include randomized comparisons and close follow-up to measure survival, liver health, and drinking outcomes.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with alcohol-associated liver disease, particularly those diagnosed with severe alcohol-associated hepatitis and who can attend clinic visits and agree to trial procedures, are the most likely candidates.
Not a fit: People without alcohol-related liver disease, those with only mild liver injury, or those medically ineligible for the specific drugs or unable to participate in clinic follow-up may not benefit from this program.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could lower deaths and relapses by combining drug treatments and addiction care tailored to people with severe alcohol-associated hepatitis.
How similar studies have performed: Earlier interim data from the AlcHepNet trial showed unexpectedly high short-term survival with prednisone in severe alcohol-associated hepatitis, acamprosate is commonly used for alcohol use disorder though its safety in severe ALD needs more data, and IL-22 represents a newer therapy that remains experimental.
Where this research is happening
Louisville, United States
- University of Louisville — Louisville, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mcclain, Craig J. — University of Louisville
- Study coordinator: Mcclain, Craig J.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.