The role of variceal bleeding primary prophylaxis in the management of extrahepatic portal vein obstruction in children

Abstract

Extrahepatic portal vein obstruction is a major cause of pediatric symptomatic portal hypertension and can lead to profuse variceal hemorrhaging. Purpose - to evaluate the role of primary prophylaxis of the variceal bleeding in children with extrahepatic portal vein obstruction. Materials and methods. A one-center prospective cohort clinical study involved 120 patients with extrahepatic portal vein obstruction who underwent primary or secondary variceal bleeding prophylaxis in 2016-2021. The laboratory, ultrasound, and endoscopy data before and after treatment were collected and evaluated. Results. Variceal bleeding episodes occurred in 5.8% (n=3) of patients who underwent primary prophylaxis and rebleeding occurred in 27.9% (n=19) of those who underwent secondary prophylaxis. Bleeding episodes occurred less frequently in patients from primary prophylaxis group (p=0.013). In patients treated endoscopically (n=53, 44.17%) Variceal bleeding appeared less frequently (n=3, 5.66%) after treatment compared to patients who underwent surgery (n=67 (55.83%), 19 had rebleeding (28.35%)) (p=0.001). In 69.17% patients (n=83) esophageal varices eradication was achieved: in 53.01% (n=44) patients from the primary prophylaxis group and 46.99% (n=39) from the secondary prophylaxis group. Bleeding episodes occurred less frequently after the eradication achievement (p<0.001). The primary prophylaxis led to varices eradication more often than secondary (p=0.003). The varices recurrence episodes rates after the eradication achievement were not different between groups (p=0.51). Conclusions. Primary prophylaxis can reduce the bleeding risk in extrahepatic portal vein obstruction with high risk of variceal bleeding. The prophylaxis by endoscopic variceal banding is an important bridge in the treatment for pediatric patients with portal hypertension that along with portosystemic shunting could potentially improve prophylactic treatment results. The Committee on Clinical Investigation of Bogomolets National Medical University approved this study (Protocol No.141, 27.01.2021). All the studies were conducted according to implemented guidelines in consideration of GCP-ICH and Declaration of Helsinki. The written informed consent of all participants’ parents/guardians was achieved. No conflict of interests was declared by the authors.