Endoscopic treatment of esophageal varices in patients with liver cirrhosis

Table 1 Endoscopic treatment as a primary prophylaxis of variceal bleeding in patients with cirrhosis

Treatment comparisons	No. of trials	Number of patients	Bleeding OR (95%CI)	Mortality OR (95%CI)
EVL vs NT	8	738	0.3 (0.17-0.53)	0.42 (0.3-0.6)
NSBBs vs EVL	19	1504	0.66 (0.45-0.96)	1.09 (0.92-1.30)

EVL: Endoscopic variceal ligation; NSBBs: Non-selective beta-blockers; NT: No treatment.

Table 2 Endoscopic treatment of acute variceal bleeding in patients with cirrhosis

Treatment comparisons	Number of trials	Number of patients	Failure to control bleeding OR (95%CI)	Mortality OR (95%CI)
Vasoactive drugs vs sclerotherapy	17	1817	-0.02 (-0.06-0.02)	-0.02 (-0.06-0.02)
EVL vs sclerotherapy	12	1309	0.025 (-0.004-0.046)	0.013 (-0.023-0.049)
Sclerotherapy + drugs vs sclerotherapy	8	1026	-0.132 (-0.181-0.084)	0.034 (-0.004-0.071)
Endoscopy + drugs vs endoscopy	8	939	1.12 (1.02-1.23)	0.73 (0.45-1.18)
Sclerotherapy + drugs vs drugs	4	400	-0.163 (-0.239-0.087)	-0.055 (-0.127-0.018)

EVL: Endoscopic variceal ligation.

Table 3 Endoscopic treatment as a secondary prophylaxis of variceal bleeding in patients with cirrhosis

Treatment comparisons	Number of trials	Number of patients	Rebleeding OR (95%CI)	Mortality OR (95%CI)
EVL vs sclerotherapy	20	1634	0.53 (0.42-0.67)	0.77 (0.59-0.99)
EVL vs NSBBs and IsMn	4	476	0.79 (0.62-1.00)	0.81 (0.61-1.08)
EVL vs EVL + NSBBs	9	955	0.59 (0.41-0.85)	0.71 (0.45-1.11)
EVL vs EVL + sclerotherapy	8	520	1.05 (0.67-1.64)	0.99 (0.68-1.44)
TIPS vs endoscopy	12	883	0.32 (0.24-0.43)	1.17 (0.85-1.61)

EVL: Endoscopic variceal ligation; IsMn: Isosorbide mononitrate; NSBBs: Non-selective beta-blockers; TIPS: Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt.