The PAL-Liver Trial is out in JAMA Internal Medicine
Headline: Palliative care provided by hepatologists is equivalent to PC specialists
Method: cluster RCT of 935 patients with cirrhosis
Heartbreak: neither arm improved QOL.
Messages (next slide please)
Aaaaand it’s a wrap on ALD-ALLY 2026. Great speakers, interactive sessions with attendees and all around good vibes in community and work towards advancing the field of ALD! See you next year!
Congratulations to LDI Fellow Marina Serper (@serperm) whose study on strategies for managing cirrhosis pain without drugs has been approved for research funding by the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (@PCORI).
So incredibly delighted to be joining the @penngihep family for GI fellowship!!! Wouldn’t be here without my amazing family, friends, and mentors. A dream come true to continue to grow and learn from the greats! @PennMedicine
A dream come true
The LiveSMART trial was able to significantly, substantially reduce falls for patients with cirrhosis and portal hypertension
With thanks to Marina Serper, the team, and the patients who inspired us (and co-designed the trial)
#tlm25
Inspiring morning hearing @serperm deliver the @AASLDtweets Starzl Transplant Surgery State of the Art lecture, followed by the @penngihep fellow/faculty brunch catching up with some of her mentees
@ebtapper@serperm et al. w/ #TLM25 LB innovative LIVE-SMART program to prevent falls.
Therapeutic interventions: lactulose & tele tai-chi (need WiFi)
NNT for rx sequence 5
Falls matter and we don’t take enough ownership of the problem.
#livertwitter
On the way home, The Tappers listened to Nik Mazumder, Juan Carlos Velez, and THE @serperm on this episode of @COREIMpodcast on hepatorenal syndrome
https://t.co/E9sV31h3h2
@pgholam@AASLDtweets@serperm@SeragHashem I think this would be a great session. If not at TLM then elsewhere
In all seriousness, there is a lot of weird stuff that gets done in the name of hepatology.
@GI_Pearls@AASLDtweets@ebtapper@serperm@SeragHashem I meant:
-“Correcting” coagulopathy
- Albumin for days for undifferentiated AKI
- Midodrine in a normotensive HRS-AKI pt
- Quinolones in low protein ascites. Never SBP
- UDCA for “treatment” of itching or cholestasis
And yes…steroids for severe AAH chasing trivial benefit
🏠New concept: Hepatology@Home
Delivering expert care to complex patients in the community: Ascitic taps, LVP, antibiotics, diuretics.
✅Feasible ✅Safe ✅Avoids admission
It's been v inspiring to watch @TamCarg grow this service from nothing👏
@ebtapper@serperm@NnekaUfereMD
Thank you @AASLDFoundation and #AnnaLok for supporting my transition from fellowship to faculty. This award will be essential in my journey to become a physician-scientist!