Second-look endoscopy-guided therapy under sedation prevents early rebleeding after variceal ligation for acute variceal bleeding

Examining the Frequency of Second Endoscopy and Its Effect on Patient Outcomes With Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding in Southeast of Iran

BACKGROUND

This study investigated the frequency and impact of repeat endoscopy in patients with acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding (AUGIB) in a referral hospital in Southeast Iran.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study was conducted on the records of 190 patients who underwent endoscopy for AUGIB in 2019. The study compared the demographic and clinical characteristics, outcomes, and treatments of patients who had a second endoscopy (n=64) with those who did not (n=126). The data were analyzed with SPSS software, and a P value less than 0.05 was considered significant.

RESULTS

The results showed that repeat endoscopy was not significantly associated with age, gender, initial symptoms, bleeding site, first endoscopy time, or disease outcome. However, repeat endoscopy was significantly associated with higher bleeding severity, different wound types, different bleeding causes, longer hospital stay, and different treatments in the first endoscopy. The main reasons for repeat endoscopy were poor visibility and recurrent bleeding. The majority of repeat endoscopies were performed within 2 days of the first one. Most patients who had a second endoscopy did not receive any treatment, and those who did received combined thermal and epinephrine injections.

CONCLUSIONS

The study concluded that routine second endoscopy is not necessary for all patients with AUGIB, but it may be beneficial for some cases. Further research is needed to clarify the indications and timing of repeat endoscopy in AUGIB.

Tranexamic acid in upper gastrointestinal bleed in patients with cirrhosis: A randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Patients with Child-Turcotte-Pugh class B and C cirrhosis with upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) have systemic as well as localized (in the mucosa of the esophagus and stomach) fibrinolysis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of tranexamic acid in the treatment of acute UGIB in patients with cirrhosis.

APPROACH AND RESULTS

A total of 600 patients with advanced liver cirrhosis (Child-Turcotte-Pugh class B or C) presenting with UGIB were randomly allocated to either the tranexamic acid (n=300) or the placebo group (n=300). The primary outcome measure was the proportion of patients developing 5-day treatment failure. Failure to control bleeding by day 5 was seen in 19/300 (6.3%) patients in the tranexamic acid group and 40/300 (13.3%) patients in the placebo group ( p =0.006). Esophageal endoscopic variceal ligation (EVL) site as a source of failure to control bleeding by day 5 among patients undergoing first-time esophageal EVL (excluding patients with a previous post-EVL ulcer as a source of bleed) was seen in 11/222 (4.9%) patients in the tranexamic acid group and 27/225 (1212.0%) patients in the placebo group ( p =0.005). However, 5-day and 6-week mortality was similar in the tranexamic acid and placebo groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Tranexamic acid significantly reduces the failure to control bleeding by day 5 and failure to prevent rebleeding after day 5 to 6 weeks in patients with advanced liver cirrhosis (Child-Turcotte-Pugh class B or C) presenting with UGIB, by preventing bleeding from the EVL site.

Balloon-occluded Esophageal Varices Obliteration Versus Ligation for the Management of F2 Esophageal Varices: A Randomized Controlled Trial

AIM

To compare balloon-occluded esophageal varices obliteration (BEVO) with esophageal variceal ligation (EVL) in the management of cirrhotic patients with type F2 esophageal varices (F2-EVs).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 157 patients with F2-EVs were randomly assigned to either BEVO (n=79) or EVL (n=78) group in the prospective study between July 2021 and December 2021. Primary outcomes included recurrence and eradication rates. Secondary outcomes included rebleeding rate, and procedural complications.

RESULTS

The recurrence rate of EVs was notably lower in the BEVO group than in the EVL group (3.80% vs. 21.79%; P =0.001). The rate of complete eradication in the BEVO group was significantly higher than that of the EVL group (96.20% vs. 74.36%; P <0.001). The incidence of rebleeding in the BEVO group was markedly lower than that of the EVL group (7.59% vs. 20.51%; P =0.02). There was a higher incidence of transient dysphagia in the EVL group than in the BEVO group (10.26% vs. 1.27%; P =0.015).

CONCLUSIONS

BEVO exerted an effective treatment option for F2-EVs.

Predictors and management of post-banding ulcer bleeding in cirrhosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Post-banding ulcer bleeding (PBUB) is an understudied complication of oesophageal varices endoscopic band ligation (EBL). This systematic review with meta-analysis aimed at: (a) evaluating the incidence of PBUB in patients with cirrhosis treated with EBL in primary or secondary prophylaxis or urgent treatment for acute variceal bleeding and (b) identifying predictors of PBUB.

METHODS

We conducted a systematic review of articles in English published in 2006-2022 using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses guidelines. Searches were made in eight databases including Embase, PubMed and Cochrane Library. Random-effects meta-analysis was used to determine the incidence, mean interval and predictors of PBUB.

RESULTS

Eighteen studies (9034 patients) were included. The incidence of PBUB was 5.5% (95% CI 4.3-7.1). The mean time for it to occur was 11 days (95% CI 9.94-11.97). Model for End-stage Liver Disease (MELD) score (OR 1.162, 95% CI 1.047-1.291) and EBL done in emergency setting (OR 4.902, 95% CI 2.99-8.05) independently predicted post-ligation ulcer bleeding. Treatment included drugs, endoscopic procedures and transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt. Refractory bleeding was treated with self-expandable metallic stents or balloon tamponade. Mortality was on average 22.3% (95% CI 14.1-33.6).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with high MELD score and receiving EBL in an emergency setting are more prone to develop PBUB. Prognosis is still poor and the best therapeutic strategy to address remains to be ascertained.

Minimal and Maximal Extent of Band Ligation for Acute Variceal Bleeding during the First Endoscopic Session

Background/Aims

The appropriate number of band ligations during the first endoscopic session for acute variceal bleeding is debatable. We aimed to compare the technical aspects of endoscopic variceal ligation (EVL) in patients with variceal bleeding according to the number of bands placed per session.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed multicenter data from patients who underwent EVL for acute variceal bleeding. Patients were classified into minimal EVL (targeting only the foci with active bleeding or stigmata of recent bleeding) and maximal EVL (targeting potential bleeding sources in addition to the aforementioned targets) groups. The primary endpoint was 5-day treatment failure. The secondary endpoints were 30-day rebleeding, 30-day mortality, and intraprocedural adverse events.

Results

Minimal EVL was associated with lower rates of hypoxia and shock during EVL than maximal EVL (hypoxia, 0.9% vs 2.9%; shock, 1.3% vs 3.4%). However, treatment failure was higher in the minimal EVL group than in the maximal EVL group (odds ratio, 1.60; 95% confidence interval, 1.06 to 2.41). Age ≥60 years, Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score ≥15, Child-Turcotte-Pugh classification C, presence of hepatocellular carcinoma, and systolic blood pressure <90 mm Hg at initial presentation were also associated with treatment failure. In contrast, 30-day rebleeding and 30-day mortality did not differ between the minimal and maximal EVL groups.

Conclusions

Given that minimal EVL was associated with a high risk of treatment failure, maximal EVL may be a better option for variceal bleeding. However, the minimal EVL strategy should be considered in select patients because it does not affect 30-day rebleeding and mortality.

Cap-Assisted Endoscopic Sclerotherapy vs Ligation in the Long-Term Management of Medium Esophageal Varices: A Randomized Trial

Compared with endoscopic variceal ligation (EVL), cap-assisted endoscopic sclerotherapy (CAES) improves efficacy in the treatment of small esophageal varices (EVs) but has not been evaluated in the management of medium EVs. The aim of this study was to compare CAES with EVL in the long-term management of patients exhibiting cirrhosis with medium EVs and a history of esophageal variceal bleeding (EVB), with respect to variceal eradication and recurrence, adverse events, rebleeding, and survival.