Pilot Study Of The Effect Of Rifaximin On B-Cell Dysregulation In Cirrhosis

Exclusion Criteria

• •Active alcohol use \> 20g/d
• •Current or planned (within following 6 months) antiviral therapy for hepatitis C
• •HIV co-infection
• •Diagnosis of overt hepatic encephalopathy
• •Current lactulose use
• •Exposure to rifaximin, rifampin or rifabutin within 12 months
• •History of C. difficile colitis
• •History of adverse drug reaction or sensitivity to rifaximin, rifampin or rifabutin or any inactive components of rifaximin
• •Pregnancy
• •Anemia with hemoglobin \< 10g/dl or hematocrit \< 30%
• •Chronic kidney disease with creatinine \> 2.1mg/dl
• •Total bilirubin \> 3.0g/dl
• •Active non-hepatic medical conditions such as congestive heart failure, chronic lung disease requiring oxygen, coronary artery disease with unstable angina
• •Requirement for chronic immunosuppressive therapy such as corticosteroids, cyclophosphamide, azathioprine, TNF-alpha antagonists
• •Chronic autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis
• •Post-liver transplantation status or anticipated liver transplantation within 6 months.
• •Systemic antimicrobial exposure within 30 days of planned Visit 1