Variceal Bleeding In Patients Research Articles

Randomized Controlled Trial of Intravenous Ferric Carboxymaltose vs Oral Iron to Treat Iron Deficiency Anemia After Variceal Bleed in Patients With Cirrhosis.

Limited evidence exists on the optimal strategy to correct iron deficiency anemia after variceal bleeding (VB) in cirrhosis. This trial compared the efficacy and safety of intravenous ferric carboxymaltose (IV-FCM) with those of oral iron therapy in this cohort. In this open-label, single-center, randomized controlled trial, eligible patients with hemoglobin <10 g/dL and iron deficiency (ferritin <100 ng/mL) after VB received either IV-FCM (1,500-2,000 mg) divided into 2 doses (n = 48) or oral carbonyl iron (100 mg elemental iron/day) (n = 44) for 3 months. The primary outcome was change in hemoglobin at 3 months. Secondary outcomes included improvement in anemia (last hemoglobin >12 g/dL), normalization of iron stores (ferritin >100 ng/mL), liver-related adverse events, adverse drug reactions, and changes in quality of life (CLDQOL questionnaire). Baseline characteristics, including median Child-Turcotte-Pugh score 7 (interquartile range [IQR] 6-9), Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score 12 (IQR 10-17), blood hemoglobin (8.25 ± 1.06 g/dL), and ferritin (30.00 ng/mL [15.00-66.50]), were comparable in both arms. The median increase in hemoglobin at 3 months in the IV and oral arms was 3.65 g/dL (IQR 2.55-5.25) and 1.10 g/dL (IQR 0.05-2.90 g/dL) ( P < 0.001), respectively. Iron stores normalized in 84.6% and 21% of the IV and oral arms, respectively ( P < 0.001). Anemia improved in 50% and 21.9% in the IV and oral arms, respectively ( P < 0.009). Patients in the IV arm showed a significant improvement in all domains of CLDQOL. Liver-related adverse events were comparable in both arms. Transient mild/moderate hypophosphatemia developed in 43% of patients receiving IV-FCM. Intravenous iron replacement is efficacious and safe to treat iron deficiency anemia after VB in patients with cirrhosis.

Propranolol can correct prolonged QT intervals in patients with cirrhosis.

Prolonged QT intervals are extremely common in patients with cirrhosis and affect their treatment outcomes. Propranolol is often used to prevent gastroesophageal variceal hemorrhage in patients with cirrhosis; however, it is uncertain whether propranolol exerts a corrective effect on QT interval prolongation in patients with cirrhosis. The study aimed to investigate the therapeutic effects of propranolol on patients with cirrhosis and prolonged QT intervals. A retrospective cohort study approach was adopted. Patients with cirrhosis complicated by moderate-to-severe gastroesophageal varices, who were hospitalized at the Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University between 1 December 2020 and 31 November 2022, were included in the study. The patients were divided into the propranolol and control groups based on whether they had received propranolol. Upon admission, the patients underwent tests on liver and kidney functions, electrolytes, and coagulation function, as well as abdominal ultrasonography and electrocardiography. In addition to conventional treatment, the patients were followed up after the use or non-use of propranolol for treatment and subsequently underwent reexamination of the aforementioned tests. The propranolol group (26 patients) had an average baseline corrected QT (QTc) interval of 450.23 ± 37.18ms, of which 14 patients (53.8%) exhibited QTc interval prolongation. Follow-up was continued for a median duration of 7.00 days after the administration of propranolol and conventional treatment. Electrocardiographic reexamination revealed a decrease in the QTc interval to 431.04 ± 34.64ms (p = 0.014), and the number of patients with QTc interval prolongation decreased to five (19.2%; p < 0.001). After treatment with propranolol and multimodal therapy, QTc interval normalization occurred in nine patients with QTc interval prolongation, leading to a normalization rate of 64.3% (9/14). The control group (n = 58) had an average baseline QTc interval of 453.74 ± 30.03ms, of which 33 patients (56.9%) exhibited QTc interval prolongation. After follow-up for a median duration of 7.50 days, the QTc interval was 451.79 ± 34.56ms (p = 0.482), and the number of patients with QTc interval prolongation decreased to 30 (51.7%; p = 0.457). The QTc interval normalization rate of patients in the control group with QTc interval prolongation was merely 10.0% (3/33), which was significantly lower than that in the propranolol group (p < 0.001). In patients with cirrhosis complicated by QT interval prolongation, the short-term use of propranolol aids in correction of a long QT interval and provides positive therapeutic value for cirrhotic cardiomyopathy.

Safety of Nonselective Beta-Blockers in Decompensated Liver Cirrhosis and Their Role in Inducing Hepatorenal Syndrome.

Background Nonselective beta-blockers (NSBBs) have been used in the management of portal hypertension and the prevention of initial and recurrent variceal bleeding in patients with liver cirrhosis. However, there is controversy regarding the use of NSBBs in patients with decompensated cirrhosis (DC) due to concerns over potential adverse effects, such as worsening of hepatic function and risk of hepatorenal syndrome (HRS). HRS is a serious complication of DC characterized by acute kidney injury (AKI) and progressive renal failure, and its development can lead to significant morbidity and mortality in this setting. Therefore, using NSBBs in patients with DC remains an area of ongoing research and debate. Our study aims to investigate the potential effect of NSBBs on HRS development. Methodology A retrospective chart review of 404 patients with cirrhosis was performed across all Northwell Health institutions between January 01, 2019, and December 31, 2020. An analysis was done on 516 patient encounters. Inclusion criteria included patients with an established International Classification of Diseases 10th Revision code of cirrhosis and AKI.After adjusting for clinical predictors, the Student's t-test or Mann-Whitney U-testwas used to compare variables between the two outcome groups (HRS vs. no HRS) for the continuous variables. Pearson's chi-square test or Fisher's exact test was used for the categorical variablesto test if an association existed between the use of NSBBs at home and HRS. A two-sided p-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. SAS 9.4 (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA) was used for statistical analysis. Results The primary outcome was the development of HRS during the hospital stay. With a total of 109 visits with HRS, we had 21 (23.60%) reported HRS in the 89 visits where NSBBs were used at home before the hospitalization, while 88 (20.61%) HRS were observed in the 427 visits with no NSBB use at home. The use of NSBBs at home was not significantly associated with the development of HRS (odds ratio = 1.1, 95% confidence interval = 0.6-1.9, p = 0.7321). We also found that higher serum albumin on admission is associated with lower odds of HRS. In contrast, increased serum creatinine, bilirubin, presence of ascites, and use of pressors were associated with a higher risk of HRS. Conclusions Our study highlights the relevant safety of NSBB use in end-stage liver disease. Their use did not appear to increase the risk of developing HRS during hospitalization with DC. Further randomized controlled trials are warranted to shed more light on the efficacy, dose tolerance limits, and safety of NSBBs in decompensated end-stage liver disease.

The coagulation changes associated with acute variceal bleeding in patients with HCV-induced cirrhosis as assessed by rotational thromboelastometry

Background and objectivesAlterations of hemostasis in patients with decompensated cirrhosis are complex. Accordingly, standard coagulation tests are not feasible to evaluate bleeding risk in these patients. The aim of this study was to assess the coagulation kinetics in cirrhotic patients with variceal bleeding using rotational thromboelastometry (ROTEM). ROTEM including EXTEM, INTEM, and FIBTEM which represent extrinsic, intrinsic pathways, and fibrinogen activity, respectively, was measured in 60 cirrhotic patients with variceal bleeding who were compared to 60 patients with stable cirrhosis. APTEM was optionally performed to evaluate fibrinolysis.ResultsOverall, cirrhosis patients displayed features of hypofibrinolysis, whereas the state of hypocoagulability was significantly higher in cirrhotic patients with variceal bleeding (61.7% versus 30%, p = 0.001). Values of clot formation time (CFT) by EXTEM and INTEM correlated positively with those of model for end-stage liver disease score (r = 0.529, p = 0.001, and r = 0.595, p < 0.001, respectively). Furthermore, in a multivariate analysis, values of CFT in both assays were significantly associated with increased risk of 1.9 (95% CI = 1.04–2.45, p = 0.02) and of 1.78 (95% CI = 1.02–2.14, p = 0.01), respectively, for occurrence of variceal bleeding.ConclusionCirrhotic patients with variceal bleeding frequently showed a hypocoagulable state that is triggered by thrombocytopenia and/or hypofibrinogenemia. CFT by EXTEM and INTEM seemed to be an extra marker for disease severity and prognosis in cirrhosis patients, in addition to its valuable role in prediction of variceal bleeding in these patients. However, large multicenter studies have yet been required.

Diagnostic value of liver stiffness measurement combined with risk scores for esophagogastric variceal bleeding in patients with hepatitis B cirrhosis

PurposeTo assess the predictive value of liver stiffness measurement (LSM) and three bleeding risk scoring systems for esophagogastric varices bleeding (EGVB) in patients with hepatitis B cirrhosis during hospitalization. MethodsIn this study, 210 patients who had hepatitis B cirrhosis were selected as the subjects. They were categorized into two groups based on whether EGVB occurred during hospitalization: a bleeding group (70 cases) and a non-bleeding group (140 cases). Logistic regression was used to analyze the factors related to the occurrence of EGVB, and the diagnostic performance was evaluated using a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. ResultsSignificant differences were observed between the two groups in systolic blood pressure, platelet count, albumin, urea nitrogen, LSM, pre-endoscopic Rockall score (PRS), Glasgow-Blatchford score (GBS), and AIMS65 score (P < 0.05). The correlation analysis showed that LSM had significant positive relationship with PRS, GBS and AIMS65 score. Logistic regression analysis revealed that LSM and GBS score were independent risk factors for EGVB occurrence during hospitalization. ROC curve analysis showed that the combined prediction model of LSM and GBS score had the best prediction performance for EGVB occurrence, with an ROC curve area of 0.811, which was significantly better than the three risk scoring systems (P < 0.05), but similar to the predicted value of LSM (P = 0.335). ConclusionsThe combination of LSM and GBS score can significantly improve the predictive efficacy of EGVB occurrence in patients with hepatitis B cirrhosis during hospitalization, which has important clinical significance for patients' prognosis.

Mucormycosis mimicking portal hypertensive haemorrhage as a complication of alcoholic liver cirrhosis: a case report

Mucor is a rare cause of gastrointestinal ulcers. This case describes a case of mucormycosis that occurred in a patient with liver cirrhosis who was hospitalized to accept a splenectomy for traumatic splenic rupture. During the perioperative period, the patient developed upper gastrointestinal bleeding(UGIB), which was diagnosed as mucormycosis-related gastric ulcer according to gastroscopy. Patients with liver cirrhosis often get UGIB for Portal hypertension, but they also can develop UGIB for multiple other reasons, including infectious ulcers for immunosuppression. The case emphasizes the importance of excluding fungal-induced ulcer haemorrhage before diagnosing Portal hypertensive-induced variceal haemorrhage in patients with liver cirrhosis.

Potentials of Endoscopic Combined Treatment of Esophageal Variceal Bleeding in Patients with Liver Cirrhosis

Background. Treatment of variceal esophageal-gastric bleeding in patients with portal hypertension is an acute challenge in urgent surgery.The aim of study was to develop a technique and evaluate the immediate and long-term effectiveness of endoscopic ligation (EL) with the use of cytoprotective treatment.Materials and methods. The study included 106 patients who were treated at the City Clinical Emergency Hospital No. 1, Voronezh, Russia. The main group consisted of 54 patients who were treated using a developed technique of combined endoscopic ligation of esophageal varices combined with the polymer alginate hemostatic sorbent (PAHS) application on ligated nodes and post-ligature defects. The comparison group consisted of 52 patients who underwent endoscopic ligation without PAHS application.Results. In the main group, total hemostasis was achieved in 52 of 54 (96.3%) patients, p = 0.027; recurrent bleeding was observed in 2-3 days after combined ligation in two (3.7%) patients. No operations were performed; two (3.7%) patients died in this group. In the comparison group, total hemostasis was achieved in 43 of 52 (82.6%) patients, p=0.027. Recurrent bleeding was observed in nine (17.3%) patients. In the comparison group, one (1.9%) patient with massive bleeding was operated on, and seven (13.5%) patients died.Conclusion. Endoscopic ligation combined with cytoprotective treatment using a polymer alginate hemostatic sorbent increases the effectiveness of local hemostasis and reduces the rate of recurrent hemorrhage from 17.3% to 3.7%, p = 0.027. Insufflation of PAHS onto ligature nodes and defects helps relieve pain, accelerates the processes of postligature defect epitheliation from 7.7% to 94.4%, p=0.0001; it also prolongates the remission of the underlying disease.

Endoscopic variceal ligation versus propranolol for the primary prevention of oesophageal variceal bleeding in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma: an open-label, two-centre, randomised controlled trial

ObjectiveThis randomised trial aimed to address whether endoscopic variceal ligation (EVL) or propranolol (PPL) is more effective at preventing initial oesophageal variceal bleeding (EVB) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).DesignPatients...

Assessing the Predictive Factors for Bleeding in Esophageal Variceal Disease: A Systematic Review.

Esophageal varices, dilated submucosal distal esophageal veins, are a common source of upper gastrointestinal bleeding in patients with portal hypertension. This review aims to comprehensively assess predictive factors for both the first occurrence and subsequent risk of esophageal variceal bleeding. A systematic search was conducted in PubMed/MEDLINE (Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online) and Cochrane databases. A total of 33 studies were selected using rigorous inclusion and exclusion criteria. The risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Several predictive factors were identified for esophageal variceal bleeding, including the Child-Pugh score, Fibrosis Index, specific endoscopic findings, ultrasound parameters, portal vein diameter, presence and size of collaterals, CT scan findings, ascites, platelet counts, coagulation parameters, albumin levels, Von Willebrand Factor, bilirubin levels, diabetes mellitus, and the use of b-blocking agents in primary prophylaxis. The findings of this systematic review shed light on multiple potential predictive factors for esophageal variceal bleeding. Endoscopic findings were found to be reliable predictors. Additionally, ultrasound parameters showed associations with bleeding risk. This systematic review identifies multiple potential predictive factors for esophageal variceal bleeding in patients with portal hypertension. While certain factors exhibit strong predictive capabilities, further research is needed to refine and validate these findings, considering potential limitations and biases. This study serves as a critical resource for bridging knowledge gaps in this field.

Upregulation of ATG9b by propranolol promotes autophagic cell death of hepatic stellate cells to improve liver fibrosis.

Proranolol has long been recommended to prevent variceal bleeding in patients with cirrhosis. However, the mechanisms of propranolol in liver fibrosis have not yet been thoroughly elucidated. Autophagic cell death (ACD) of activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) is important in the alleviation of liver fibrosis. Our study aims to assess the mechanisms of propranolol regulating HSC ACD and liver fibrosis. ACD of HSCs was investigated using lentivirus transfection. The molecular mechanism was determined using a PCR profiler array. The role of autophagy-related protein 9b (ATG9b) in HSC ACD was detected using co-immunoprecipitation and co-localization of immunofluorescence. Changes in the signalling pathway were detected by the Phospho Explorer antibody microarray. Propranolol induces ACD and apoptosis in HSCs. ATG9b upregulation was detected in propranolol-treated HSCs. ATG9b upregulation promoted ACD of HSCs and alleviated liver fibrosis invivo. ATG9b enhanced the P62 recruitment to ATG5-ATG12-LC3 compartments and increased the co-localization of P62 with ubiquitinated proteins. The PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway is responsible for ATG9b-induced ACD in activated HSCs, whereas the p38/JNK pathway is involved in apoptosis. This study provides evidence for ATG9b as a new target gene and propranolol as an agent to alleviate liver fibrosis by regulating ACD of activated HSCs.

Ендоваскулярні втручання в комплексній терапії пацієнтів із портальною гіпертензією і кровотечею з варикозно розширених вен

For today, endovascular procedures, such as embolization of splenic artery, transjugular intrahepatic shunt, and retrograde transvenous obliteration with balloon occlusion are widely applied in the treatment and prophylaxis of variceal bleeding in patients with portal hypertension. Splenomegaly with the development of hypersplenism is one of complications of portal hypertension in patients with liver cirrhosis, which can negatively be influenced on clinical course. Due to that, it can be assumed that the management of hypersplenism in patients with portal hypertension with the applying of splenic artery embolization, could be improve the results of treatment of this group of patients. Purpose - to summarize the own experience of the applying of splenic artery embolization in the complex therapy in patients with portal hypertension that complicated by the variceal bleeding. Materials and methods. This study based on the results of treatment of 36 patients, in which the embolization of splenic artery was applied in the complex management (conventional treatment and endoscopic ligation of varices). The classic method of “chronic” occlusion was used for the embolization. The embolization on the level of the initial portion of the main trunk of splenic artery was performed in 30 (83.3%) of patients. Due to the anatomical peculiarities of vasculature, embolization was performed on the level of middle part of splenic artery in 6 (16.7%) of patients. The effectiveness of the treatment was evaluated by the changes of complete blood count indices and ultrasonography results. Statistical analysis was performed using the program SPSS Statistic for Windows, version 15.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA). Results. The middle age of patients was 55.8±1.6 years. The middle value of Child-Turcotte-Pugh criterion was 2.44±0.08, and MELD score was 16.36±0.99 value. Conclusions. The applying of splenic artery embolization that combined with conventional therapy and endoscopic ligation of varices is appropriate and justified. Embolization of the splenic artery promotes to decrease of appearance of hypersplenism in patients with the portal hypertension with positive influence on follow-up clinical course. The research was carried out in accordance with the principles of the Helsinki Declaration. The study protocol was approved by the Local Ethics Committee of the participating institution. The informed consent of the patient was obtained for conducting the studies. No conflict of interests was declared by the authors.

Erratum: Timing of endoscopy for acute variceal bleeding in patients with cirrhosis (CHESS1905): A nationwide cohort study.

Erratum: Timing of endoscopy for acute variceal bleeding in patients with cirrhosis (CHESS1905): A nationwide cohort study.

Comparison of intravenous ceftriaxone and ciprofloxacin in prevention of infection in cirrhosis patients with variceal bleeding

Background: Patients with variceal gastrointestinal bleeding are very susceptible to bacterial infections. This study was designed to examine the effectiveness of ciprofloxacin and ceftriaxone in controlling in-hospital morbidity, mortality, and infection in variceal bleeding patients. Methods: From August 2010 to August 2012, an interventional randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted in the Department of Gastroenterology, East Medical Ward, Mayo Hospital, Lahore. Adult patients who were diagnosed to have gastroesophageal variceal bleeding after endoscopic examination were included. These patients were randomly distributed to 2 groups. Group ceftriaxone: receiving injection Ceftriaxone 1000 mg intravenously 12 hourly for 7 days, Group ciprofloxacin: receiving injection ciprofloxacin 200 mg intravenously 12 hourly for 7 days. Results: Most common viral etiology was Hepatitis C in both the study groups. It was observed that in the ceftriaxone group, 4.8% had rebleeding, while in the ciprofloxacin group 5.6% had rebleeding (p=0.77), one case each had porto-systemic encephalopathy (p=0.99), 0.8% in ceftriaxone group and 3.2% in ciprofloxacin group had spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (p=0.39) and 4.8% in ceftriaxone group and 8% in ciprofloxacin group had systemic inflammatory response syndrome (p=0.31). No patients died during one week follow up. Conclusions: From our study, it was concluded that ciprofloxacin and ceftriaxone had same efficacy when used intravenously for prevention of bacterial infection and improvement in mortality and morbidity in patient of variceal bleeding. Future multicentric studies are required with a longer patient follow to support our findings.

Hepatic Venous Pressure Gradient Predicts Further Decompensation in Cirrhosis Patients with Acute Esophageal Variceal Bleeding.

The role of hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG) in predicting further decompensation in cirrhosis patients with acute variceal bleeding (AVB) is not known. We aimed to evaluate the role of HVPG in predicting further decompensation in cirrhosis patients with AVB Methods: In this prospective study, 145 patients with cirrhosis with esophageal or gastric AVB were included. HVPG was measured on the day of the AVB. Decompensating events occurring after 42-days of AVB were considered further decompensation. The median age of the study cohort was 44 years; 88.3% males. The predominant etiology of cirrhosis was alcohol (46.2%). Overall, 40 (27.6%) patients developed further decompensation during median follow-up of 296 days following AVB. Gastro intestinal bleeding n = 27 (18.6%) and new-onset/worsening ascites n = 20 (13.8%) were the most common decompensating events. According to the multivariate model, HVPG was an independent predictor of any further decompensation in esophageal AVB patients but not in gastric variceal bleeding patients. HVPG cut-off of ≥16 mmHg predicted further decompensation in the esophageal AVB. However, HVPG was not an independent predictor of mortality. HVPG measured during an episode of acute variceal hemorrhage from esophageal varices predicts further decompensating events in cirrhosis patients.

Addressing Portal Hypertension: Exploring the Crucial Role of Partial Splenic Embolization in Critical Situations

Background: Esophageal varices are one of the most common symptoms of direct outcomes of portal hypertension besides ascites, hepatorenal syndrome, and hypersplenism. Nonselective beta-blockers or band ligation are currently the effective primary preventive options for variceal hemorrhage. The use of partial splenic arterial embolization for the management of variceal hemorrhage in patients with portal hypertension has been described in a small number of reports. Case Report: A girl, 6 y.o., was hospitalized with hematemesis with hypovolemic shock. Laboratory findings show anemia and thrombocytopenia. Radiology and endoscopy show grade III esophageal varices with hepatosplenomegaly. Because of the high risk of morbidity in surgical procedures, partial splenic embolization was performed to treat portal hypertension. Discussion: The combination of varices and a low platelet count puts these patients at high risk for catastrophic hemorrhage. Partial splenic embolization reduces splenic blood volume, resulting in a decrease in venous drainage and a reduction in portal venous flow and pressure. Conclusion: The use of partial splenic arterial embolization to manage variceal hemorrhage in patients with portal hypertension has been described. Embolization can be used alone or in combination with other therapies, like endoscopic ligation or retrograde transvenous variceal obliteration, to treat a variety of conditions. Keywords: Embolization, esophageal varices, splenomegaly, portal hypertension

Platelet-albumin-bilirubin score - a risk stratification scoring system to predict outcome of acute variceal bleeding in patients with cirrhosis.

Acute variceal bleed is a common complication of cirrhosis of liver. Up to 25% of patients with newly diagnosed varices will experience bleeding within 2 years. Of patients who have stopped bleeding, approximately one-third will rebleed within the next 6 weeks. Though scores like Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) and Model of End-stage Liver Disease (MELD) predict the survival of upper gastrointestinal bleed, they have certain limitations in this regard. So, there is a need for reliable scoring system to assess the outcome of patients who had acute variceal bleed. To evaluate the platelet-albumin-bilirubin (PALBI) score in predicting outcome of acute variceal bleeding in patients with cirrhosis. A total of 130 patients who presented to our institute with acute variceal bleed over a period of 1 year were analyzed. CTP, MELD Na and PALBI scores were calculated for these patients on admission and the outcome was compared in the form of 90-day rebleeding rates. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUROC) were calculated for this purpose. Mean age was 56 years; 80 were male (61.5%), 50 were female (38.5%), 62 CTP-A (47.7%), 53 CTP-B (40.8%), 15 CTP-C (11.5%); 63 PALBI 1 (48.5%), 23 PALBI 2 (17.8%), and 44 PALBI 3 (33.8%). 1 patient died in the due course of the study. The AUROC for predicting rebleeding was 0.732, 0.71 and 0.803 for CTP, MELD Na and PALBI scores, respectively. PALBI score on admission is a good predictor of outcomes in cirrhotics with acute variceal bleed.

TOP-041 - Randomised controlled trial of intravenous versus oral iron in treatment of iron deficiency anaemia after variceal bleeding in patients with cirrhosis

TOP-041 - Randomised controlled trial of intravenous versus oral iron in treatment of iron deficiency anaemia after variceal bleeding in patients with cirrhosis

Prognosis of the clinical course of portal hypertension complicated by the acute variceal bleeding

Annotation. Variceal bleeding is one of the most dangerous complications of liver cirrhosis, which is associated with relatively high lethality. At the same time, the bleeding can trigger some other complications of liver cirrhosis that further worsen the prognosis for these patients. These factors determine the necessity not only for the diagnosis of variceal bleeding in patients with liver cirrhosis but also for the prognosis of possible recurrent bleeding and lethality. The aim of this study was to evaluate the possibility of predicting survival or lethality in patients with variceal bleeding. This study is based on the results of the investigation and treatment of 121 patients with liver cirrhosis complicated by variceal bleeding. To determine the prognostic value of the clinical course, the analysis of various markers of complete blood count, biochemical blood and coagulation markers, Child-Turcotte-Pugh and MELD criteria was performed. The ROC (receiver operating characteristic) curve was applied for the evaluation and comparison of various markers. Additionally, the specificity, sensitivity, accuracy, positive (PPV) and negative prognostic value (NPV), positive (LR+) and negative (LR-) likelihood ratio were used. The J-index (index Youden) was applied for the comparison of border values. Predicting the clinical course allows for identifying patients with a possible unfavorable prognosis who require intensive therapy, as well as those with minimal risk of fatal outcome. According to the study results, the International normalized ratio (sensitivity – 95%, specificity – 97%), potassium blood level (sensitivity – 95.2%, specificity – 89%), and MELD score (sensitivity – 95.2%, specificity – 86%) are the markers, which had the highest prognostic value for the unfavorable clinical course. Whereas the sodium blood level (sensitivity – 96%, specificity – 100%) was the best marker of favorable clinical course. Other analyzed indicators had limited prognostic significance. Thus, although the number of bleedings in the anamnesis increases the risk of a fatal outcome, it has limited importance for prognostics of a favorable or unfavorable course of variceal bleeding. The sodium blood level is the best marker for the prediction of a favorable clinical course. International normalized ratio, potassium blood level, and MELD score are the markers of an unfavorable clinical course.

The COVID-19 Infection Resulted Delayed Esophagogastroduodenoscopy in Patients Admitted with Variceal Bleeding: Hospital-Based Outcomes of a National Database.

During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, most healthcare services, including inpatient and outpatient procedures, got delayed. We reviewed the effect of COVID-19 infection on the timing of esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) in variceal bleeding patients and analyzed the complications of delayed EGD. Using the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) 2020, we identified patients admitted for variceal bleeding with COVID-19 infection. We performed a multivariable regression analysis and adjusted it for patient and hospital-related variables. The International Classification of Disease Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes were used for patient selection. We measured the effect of COVID-19 on the timing of EGD and further analyzed the effect of delayed EGD on hospital-based outcomes. A total of 49,675 patients diagnosed with variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding were analyzed, out of which 915 (1.84%) were COVID-19 positive. Variceal bleeding patients who were COVID-positive had a significantly lower rate of EGD performed within the first 24 h of admission (36.1% vs. 60.6% p = 0.001) compared to the patients who tested negative for COVID-19. The performance of EGD within 24 h of admission resulted in a decrease in all-cause mortality by 70% (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 0.30, 95% CI 0.12-0.76, p = 0.01) compared to EGD after 24 h. A significant decrease was noted in the odds of ICU admission rate (AOR 0.37, 95% CI 0.14-0.97, p = 0.04) in patients who got EGD within the first 24 h of admission. No difference in odds of sepsis (AOR 0.44, 95% CI 0.15-1.30, p = 0.14) and vasopressor use (AOR 0.34, 95% CI 0.04-2.87, p = 0.32) was seen in COVID positive vs. COVID negative group. The hospital mean length of stay (2.14 days, 95% CI 4.35-0.06, p = 0.06), mean total charges ($51,936, 95% CI $106,688-$2816, p = 0.06), and total cost (11,489$, 95% CI 30,380$-7402$, p = 0.23) was similar in both COVID-positive and -negative groups. In our study, we found that the presence of COVID-19 infection in variceal bleeding patients resulted in a significant delay in EGD compared to COVID-negative patients. This delay in EGD resulted in increased all-cause mortality and intensive care unit admissions.

Timing of endoscopy for acute variceal bleeding in patients with cirrhosis (CHESS1905): A nationwide cohort study.

Endoscopy plays an important role in the management of acute variceal bleeding (AVB) in patients with cirrhosis. This study aimed at determining the optimal endoscopy timing for cirrhotic AVB. Patients with cirrhosis with AVB across 34 university hospitals in 30 cities from February 2013 to May 2020 who underwent endoscopy within 24 hours were included in this study. Patients were divided into an urgent endoscopy group (endoscopy <6 h after admission) and an early endoscopy group (endoscopy 6-24 h after admission). Multivariable analysis was performed to identify risk factors for treatment failure. Primary outcome was the incidence of 5-day treatment failure. Secondary outcomes included in-hospital mortality, need for intensive care unit, and length of hospital stay. A propensity score matching analysis was performed. In addition, we performed an analysis, in which we compared the 5-day treatment failure incidence and the in-hospital mortality among patients with endoscopy performed at <12 hours and 12-24 hours. A total of 3319 patients were enrolled: 2383 in the urgent endoscopy group and 936 in the early endoscopy group. After propensity score matching, on multivariable analysis, Child-Pugh class was identified as an independent risk factor for 5-day treatment failure (HR, 1.61; 95% CI: 1.09-2.37). The incidence of 5-day treatment failure was 3.0% in the urgent endoscopy group and 2.9% in the early group ( p = 0.90). The in-hospital mortality was 1.9% in the urgent endoscopy group and 1.2% in the early endoscopy group ( p = 0.26). The incidence of need for intensive care unit was 18.2% in the urgent endoscopy group and 21.4% in the early endoscopy group ( p = 0.11). The mean length of hospital stay was 17.9 days in the urgent endoscopy group and 12.9 days in the early endoscopy group ( p < 0.05). The incidence of 5-day treatment failure in the <12-hour group was 2.3% and 2.2% in the 12-24 hours group ( p = 0.85). The in-hospital mortality was 2.2% in the <12-hour group and 0.5% in the 12-24 hours group ( p < 0.05). The data suggest that performance of endoscopy within 6-12 or within 24 hours of presentation among patients with cirrhosis with AVB led to similar treatment failure outcomes.