From the Editor’s desk...: September 2015

Abstract

Baveno Consensus statements have been an unprecedented success as illustrated by the phenomenal reduction in the rates of variceal bleeding deaths. The progress in management of variceal bleeding is attributable to the establishment of clear definitions allowing the performance of over 300 clinical trials that have generated the evidence, allowing establishment of guidelines. Where there was no evidence, the group worked to generate the evidence in between the meetings. The current Consensus statements are forward-looking and more exploratory as the group calls for using new generation of tools to ‘Stratify’ and ‘Personalize’ the therapy of portal hypertension. An accompanying Editorial further develops the ideas of how this may be achieved. The Baveno group, led by Roberto de Franchis could be the model to address mortality from other cirrhosis complications.