Is there any vindication for low dose nonselective β-blocker medication in patients with liver cirrhosis?

Non-selective beta-blockers and the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with cirrhosis: a meta-analysis

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a serious complication of cirrhosis. Currently, non-selective beta-blockers (NSBBs) are commonly used to treat portal hypertension in patients with cirrhosis. The latest research shows that NSBBs can induce apoptosis and S-phase arrest in liver cancer cells and inhibit the development of hepatic vascular endothelial cells, which may be effective in preventing HCC in cirrhosis patients. Aim: To determine the relationship between different NSBBs and HCC incidence in patients with cirrhosis. Methods: We searched the Cochrane database, MEDLINE, EMBASE, PubMed, and Web of Science. Cohort studies, case‒control studies, and randomized controlled trials were included if they involved cirrhosis patients who were divided into an experimental group using NSBBs and a control group with any intervention. Based on heterogeneity, we calculated odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) using random-effect models. We also conducted subgroup analysis to explore the source of heterogeneity. Sensitivity analysis and publication bias detection were performed. Results: A total of 47 studies included 38 reporting HCC incidence, 26 reporting HCC-related mortality, and 39 reporting overall mortality. The HCC incidence between the experimental group and the control group was OR = 0.87 (0.69 and 1.10), p = 0.000, and I2 = 81.8%. There was no significant association between propranolol (OR = 0.94 and 95%CI 0.62-1.44) or timolol (OR = 1.32 and 95%CI 0.44-3.95) and HCC incidence, while the risk of HCC decreased by 26% and 38% with nadolol (OR = 0.74 and 95%CI 0.64-0.86) and carvedilol (OR = 0.62 and 95%CI 0.52-0.74), respectively. Conclusion: Different types of NSBB have different effects on the incidence of patients with cirrhosis of the liver, where nadolol and carvedilol can reduce the risk. Also, the effect of NSBBs may vary in ethnicity. Propranolol can reduce HCC incidence in Europe and America. Systematic Review Registration: identifier https://CRD42023434175, https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/.

Antitumor Effects and Mechanisms of Metabolic Syndrome Medications on Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Liver cancer has a high incidence and mortality rate worldwide, with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) being the most common histological type. With the decrease in the number of newly infected patients and the spread of antiviral therapy, hepatitis virus-negative chronic liver diseases including steatohepatitis are increasingly accounting for a large proportion of HCC, and an important clinical characteristic is the high prevalence of metabolic syndrome including hypertension, type 2 diabetes (T2D), dyslipidemia, and obesity. Since patients with steatohepatitis are less likely to undergo surveillance for early detection of HCC, they may be diagnosed at an advanced stage and have worse prognosis. Therefore, treatment strategies for patients with HCC caused by steatohepatitis, especially in advanced stages, become increasingly important. Further, hypertension, T2D, and dyslipidemia may occur as side effects during systemic treatment, and there will be increasing opportunities to prescribe metabolic syndrome medications, not only for originally comorbid diseases, but also for adverse events during HCC treatment. Interestingly, epidemiological studies have shown that patients taking some metabolic syndrome medications are less likely to develop various types of cancers, including HCC. Basic studies have also shown that these drugs have direct antitumor effects on HCC. In particular, angiotensin II receptor blockers (a drug group for treating hypertension), biguanides (a drug group for treating T2D), and statins (a drug group for treating dyslipidemia) have shown to elucidate antitumor effects against HCC. In this review, we focus on the antitumor effects of metabolic syndrome medications on HCC and their mechanisms based on recent literature. New therapeutic agents are also increasingly being reported. Analysis of the antitumor effects of metabolic syndrome medications on HCC and their mechanisms will be doubly beneficial for HCC patients with metabolic syndrome, and the use of these medications may be a potential strategy against HCC.

Association Between Nonselective Beta-Blocker Use and Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Patients With Chronic Hepatitis B Without Cirrhosis and Decompensation

Background: Nonselective beta-blockers (NSBBs) can reduce the incidence or mortality of certain types of cancers, and NSBBs exert a protective effect on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with cirrhosis. However, the potential preventive effect of NSBBs has not yet been investigated in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) who have a high HCC risk regardless of the presence of underlying cirrhosis.

Aim: This study evaluated the association between NSBB use and HCC incidence in patients with CHB without cirrhosis and decompensation.

Methods: From the 2000 Longitudinal Generation Tracking Database, we enrolled patients who were newly diagnosed as having CHB from January 2001 to December 2011 and then followed them up for at least 5 years. To estimate the causal effect of NSBBs on the time-to-event outcomes of HCC, a marginal Cox proportional hazards model was used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

Results: After adjustment, no significant benefit of HCC risk reduction was observed between the NSBB users and nonusers (adjusted HR, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.52–1.31). The cumulative defined daily dose (cDDD) analysis revealed no significant dose correlation among the three groups [adjusted HR (95% CI): 1.08, (0.56–2.05), 0.54 (0.17–1.77), and 0.76 (0.40–1.42) in the <90 cDDD, 90 to <180 cDDD, and ≥180 cDDD groups, respectively]. Duration-dependent associations were not observed. Multivariable stratified analysis results demonstrated that HCC risk markedly decreased in the patients aged >55 years (adjusted HR, 0.49; 95% CI, 0.25–0.96; p = 0.04).

Conclusion: NSBB did not significantly prevent HCC in the patients with CHB infection without cirrhosis and decompensation. This study provided one of valuable results that it is not clinically required to use NSBBs as recommended chemoprevention for HCC in high-risk patients who have CHB.

Propranolol Is Associated with Lower Risk of Incidence of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Patients with Alcoholic Cirrhosis: A Tertiary-Center Study and Indirect Comparison with Meta-Analysis

Alcoholic cirrhosis (AC) leads to enormous disease burden and occupies a substantial proportion in the etiology of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but scarce attention has been paid to this topic. Besides, propranolol has been reported to decrease the rate of HCC in viral hepatitis. We conducted a retrospective tertiary-center cohort study to identify the HCC incidence in AC patients with or without propranolol. A total of 1,046 AC patients with hospitalization had been screened, and those with regular follow-up for three years or otherwise until the date of malignancy diagnosis without meeting exclusion criteria were enrolled; finally, 23 AC patients with propranolol and 46 AC patients without propranolol were analyzed after twofold propensity-score matching. The cumulative incidence of HCC was lower in the propranolol group (log-rank test, P = 0.046). Furthermore, we undertook the meta-analysis of annual incidence of HCC in AC patients, and 1,949 publications were screened, within which eight studies were analyzed; the pooled annual incidence was 2.41%, which was higher than the calculated annual incidence of HCC in our AC cohort with propranolol (1.45%). In conclusion, propranolol is associated with decreased risk of HCC incidence in patients with AC.

Low dose of propranolol treatment is associated with better survival in cirrhotic patients with hepatic encephalopathy

OBJECTIVE

The use of nonselective beta blockers in cirrhotic patients experiencing complications is controversial. We aimed to investigate the association between propranolol treatment and outcomes for cirrhotic patients with hepatic encephalopathy.

METHODS

Using data from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database, we identified 4754 cirrhotic patients newly diagnosed with hepatic encephalopathy between 2001 and 2010. Among them, 519 patients received propranolol treatment and the other 519 patients without exposure to propranolol were enrolled into our study, both of which were matched by sex, age, and propensity score. The Kaplan-Meier method and time-dependent-modified Cox proportional hazards models were employed for survival and multivariate-stratified analyses.

RESULTS

The median overall survival (OS) was significantly longer in the propranolol-treated cohort than in the untreated cohort (3.46 versus 1.88 years, P < 0.001). A dose-dependent increase in survival was observed (median OS: 4.49, 3.29, and 2.46 years in patients treated with propranolol more than 30 , 20-30 , and less than 20 mg/day, respectively [P < 0.001, P = 0.001, and P = 0.079 versus the untreated group]). In addition to reduce the risk of mortality (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.58; P < 0.001), propranolol also diminished the risk of sepsis-related death (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.31; P = 0.006) according to the multivariate analysis. However, the risk of circulatory or hepatic failure was nonsignificantly altered by propranolol treatment.

CONCLUSION

Low dose of propranolol treatment was associated with a better OS in cirrhotic patients with hepatic encephalopathy and its effects were dose dependent.

Effect of Propranolol Treatment on the Incidence of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Patients Waiting for Liver Transplant With Cirrhosis: A Retrospective, Surveillance Study in a Tertiary Center

OBJECTIVES

Hepatocellular carcinoma is the most frequent primary malignant tumor of the liver and the third most common cause of all cancer-related mortalities. There is a need to develop new strategies to prevent hepatocellular carcinoma, as the incidence of this cancer continues to increase despite all advancements. In this study, our aim was to determine the effects of propranolol treatment on the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma in cirrhotic patients waiting for liver transplant.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed the data of patients waiting for liver transplant with cirrhosis due to various causes registered at the Hepatocellular Carcinoma Surveillance Program between June 2011 and December 2017 in our center. These data were compared between patients using propranolol and those not using propranolol.

RESULTS

Of the 231 patients, 135 (58.4%) were male and 96 (41.6%) were female. The mean age was 58.1 ± 14 years. We noted that 153 of total patients (66.2%) were using propranolol. Three patients (2%) were using 20 mg propranolol, 125 (81.7%) were using 40 mg propranolol, 10 (6.5%) were using 60 mg propranolol, and 15 (9.8%) were using 80 mg propranolol. Of total patients, 36 (15.6%) developed hepatocellular carcinoma, including in 12 patients (7.8%) using propranolol and 24 patients (30.8%) who did not use this agent (P < .001). Thus, the hepatocellular carcinoma frequency was 5.22 times lower in patients receiving propranolol than in those not receiving propranolol.

CONCLUSIONS

Although causes of cirrhosis and initial stages were similar in both groups using and not using propranolol, incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma was significantly lower in the propranolol group than in the group without propranolol. This result showed that propranolol treatment has a protective effect for hepatocellular carcinoma in patients waiting for liver transplant with cirrhosis.

Propranolol reduces systemic oxidative stress and endotoxemia in cirrhotic patients with esophageal varices

BACKGROUND

The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of propranolol on systemic oxidative stress and endotoxemia in patients with liver cirrhosis and clinically significant portal hypertension evidenced by the presence of esophageal varices.

METHODS

Fourteen patients with liver cirrhosis and esophageal varices, not previously been treated with non-selective beta-blockers (NSBB), were prospectively started on propranolol and followed up for three months. Serum early and late lipid peroxidation products (lipid hydroperoxides [LOOH] and malondialdehyde [MDA], respectively), and endotoxin concentrations in peripheral blood were measured. Fourteen age- and sex-matched healthy individuals were used as controls.

RESULTS

Patients with liver cirrhosis presented significantly higher systemic oxidative stress and endotoxin concentrations compared to healthy controls (P<0.001). Propranolol treatment for one month significantly reduced serum MDA (P<0.05), LOOH (P<0.01), and endotoxin levels (P<0.01) compared to pre-treatment values, whilst LOOH reached control levels. At three months of propranolol treatment, serum LOOH did not differ significantly from the one-month values, whilst serum endotoxin and MDA levels were further reduced between 3- and 1-month period (P<0.05 and P<0.01, respectively), with the latter reaching control levels. Amelioration of systemic endotoxemia at the one- and three-month follow-up intervals (compared to pre-treatment values) was not correlated with the respective reductions in serum MDA and LOOH.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first study to show that NSBB treatment in liver cirrhosis exerts a significant systemic antioxidant action. This effect seems to be, at least partly, independent of their beneficial effects on intestinal barrier function and endotoxemia.

The use of β-blockers is associated with a lower risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with cirrhosis

INTRODUCTION

Patients with cirrhosis by hepatitis C virus infection treated with β-blockers (BB) have been shown to have a reduced incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Also, an association between propranolol therapy and lower incidence of other tumors has been described.

AIM

To analyze the incidence of HCC according to BB treatment in cirrhosis of any cause.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Cirrhotic patients included in the program for early detection of HCC were followed. Patients' data were prospectively registered, including transplantation and death. Patients were classified as chronically taken or not BB and the proportions of patients who remained free of tumor from the diagnosis of cirrhosis until the end of follow-up were compared using Kaplan-Meier analysis and the Breslow test.

RESULTS

A total of 173 patients (73 treated and 100 untreated BB) were followed. The median duration of follow-up was 11 years. There were no differences between both groups in the overall survival, number of deaths, or liver transplant.Overall, 28 patients developed HCC during the follow-up, 20 patients who were untreated and eight patients treated with BB. The cumulative proportion of cases of HCC between untreated and treated with BB from the diagnosis of cirrhosis was statistically significant (6 vs. 3%, at 5 years; 19 vs. 6% at 10 years; 24 vs. 16% at 15 years; P=0.048). Multivariate analyses showed BB intake as the only significant variable associated with the development of HCC.

CONCLUSION

Cirrhotic patients treated with BB have a lower cumulative probability of developing HCC during the 10 years after the diagnosis of cirrhosis.

Does Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitor and β-Blocker Use Reduce the Risk of Primary Liver Cancer? A Case-Control Study Using the U.K. Clinical Practice Research Datalink

STUDY OBJECTIVE

It has been suggested that use of the antihypertensive drugs angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and β-blockers may decrease the risk of primary liver cancer; thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate whether use of ACE inhibitors and/or β-blockers is associated with a lower risk of liver cancer.

DESIGN

Nested case-control study.

DATA SOURCE

United Kingdom Clinical Practice Research Datalink.

PATIENTS

We identified 490 cases with hypertension and a first-time (incident) diagnosis of primary liver cancer between 1988 and 2011. To account for an induction period, the index date was defined as the date of the first recorded liver cancer diagnosis minus 1 year. Controls were selected from patients with hypertension in the CPRD during the study period with a recorded diagnosis of hypertension who had no diagnosis of liver cancer and were free of any other cancer (except nonmelanoma skin cancer) before the index date; they were matched up to a 4:1 ratio to cases based on index date (same index date as that of their matched case), age (same year of birth), sex, general practice, and number of years of recorded history in the CPRD before the index date (1909 controls). Both cases and controls were required to have at least 2 years of recorded activity in the database before the index date.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

Exposure was defined as receipt of two or more prescriptions for ACE inhibitors and/or β-blockers before the index date; the reference group was nonuse (0-1 prescription) of ACE or β-blocker prescriptions before the index date. We also examined the effect of duration of use and, separately, the effect of individual drugs within each medication class on risk of liver cancer, and conducted analyses restricted to patients without liver disease or diabetes mellitus. Conditional logistic regression analysis was used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). No association was found between use of ACE inhibitors and/or β-blockers and the risk of liver cancer compared with nonuse (adjusted OR 1.14, 95% CI 0.85-1.55). No significant differences were noted in risk by duration of use or by individual drugs, or after restricting the analyses to patients without diabetes or liver disease.

CONCLUSION

Use of ACE inhibitors and/or β-blockers was not associated with reduced risk of primary liver cancer compared with nonuse of these drugs in persons with hypertension.

Non-selective beta-blockers may reduce risk of hepatocellular carcinoma: a meta-analysis of randomized trials

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Non-selective beta-blockers (NSBB) are used in patients with cirrhosis and oesophageal varices. Experimental data suggest that NSBB inhibit angiogenesis and reduce bacterial translocation, which may prevent hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We therefore assessed the effect of NSBB on HCC by performing a systematic review with meta-analyses of randomized trials.

METHODS

Electronic and manual searches were combined. Authors were contacted for unpublished data. Included trials assessed NSBB for patients with cirrhosis; the control group could receive any other intervention than NSBB. Fixed and random effects meta-analyses were performed with I(2) as a measure of heterogeneity. Subgroup, sensitivity, regression and sequential analyses were performed to evaluate heterogeneity, bias and the robustness of the results after adjusting for multiple testing.

RESULTS

Twenty-three randomized trials on 2618 patients with cirrhosis were included, of which 12 reported HCC incidence and 23 reported HCC mortality. The mean duration of follow-up was 26 months (range 8-82). In total, 47 of 694 patients randomized to NSBB developed HCC vs 65 of 697 controls (risk difference -0.026; 95% CI-0.052 to -0.001; number needed to treat 38 patients). There was no heterogeneity (I(2) = 7%) or evidence of small study effects (Eggers P = 0.402). The result was not confirmed in sequential analysis, which suggested that 3719 patients were needed to achieve the required information size. NSBB did not reduce HCC-related mortality (RD -0.011; 95% CI -0.040 to 0.017).

CONCLUSIONS

Non-selective beta-blockers may prevent HCC in patients with cirrhosis.

Management of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Cirrhotic Patients with Portal Hypertension: Relevance of Hagen-Poiseuille's Law

BACKGROUND

Hepatic decompensation in cirrhosis heralds an accelerated course with poor survival. An increase in hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG), rather than surrogate tests of liver function, appears to be the sole predictor of decompensation after surgical resection. We propose that hepatic sinusoidal walls become less elastic as cirrhosis progresses. Decompensation signals the development of increased vessel wall rigidity. The pressure-flow characteristics then become subject to Hagen-Poiseuille's law, which applies only to rigid, cylindrical vessels. Thereafter, HVPG rises exponentially (by a factor inversely proportional to the fourth power of the net radius of functional sinusoidal vessels, 1/r(4), at any given hepatic blood flow rate. This review attempts to correlate liver stiffness, risk of decompensation and outcomes from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with cirrhosis.

SUMMARY

We compare the complexity of autoregulation in the normal elastic liver, which has a unique dual blood supply, with that in the rigid cirrhotic liver. We also review, in the context of background liver cirrhosis, the management of HCC which is in essence, a solid mass of unorganized cells that exacerbates liver stiffness. We discuss the differential effects of various therapeutic modalities such as liver transplantation, loco-regional therapy and drugs on HCC outcomes, based on their effects on HVPG.

KEY MESSAGES

Increased hepatic artery supply, or the hepatic artery buffer response, may be the only available method for autoregulation or maintenance of hepatic blood flow in the cirrhotic liver. In HCC, loco-regional therapies, including partial resection of the cirrhotic liver, can exacerbate portal hypertension by increasing blood flow within the remnant organ. We conclude that studies of HVPG reduction as part of HCC management may be beneficial and are warranted.

Can non-selective beta-blockers prevent hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with cirrhosis?

Hepatocellular carcinoma is the main liver-related cause of death in patients with compensated cirrhosis. The early phases are asymptomatic and the prognosis is poor, which makes prevention essential. We propose that non-selective beta-blockers decrease the incidence and growth of hepatocellular carcinoma via a reduction of the inflammatory load from the gut to the liver and inhibition of angiogenesis. Due to their effect on the portal pressure, non-selective beta-blockers are used for prevention of esophageal variceal bleeding. Recently, non-hemodynamic effects of beta-blockers have received increasing attention. Blockage of β-adrenoceptors in the intestinal mucosa and gut lymphatic tissue together with changes in type and virulence of the intestinal microbiota lead to reduced bacterial translocation and a subsequent decrease in the portal load of pathogen-associated molecular patterns. This may reduce hepatic inflammation. Blockage of β-adrenoceptors also decrease angiogenesis by inhibition of vascular endothelial growth factors. Because gut-derived inflammation and neo-angiogenesis are important in hepatic carcinogenesis, non-selective beta-blockers can potentially reduce the development and growth of hepatocellular carcinoma. Rodent and in vitro studies support the hypothesis, but clinical verification is needed. Different study designs may be considered. The feasibility of a randomized controlled trial is limited due to the necessary large number of patients and long follow-up. Observational studies carry a high risk of bias. The meta-analytic approach may be used if the incidence and mortality of hepatocellular carcinoma can be extracted from trials on variceal bleeding and if the combined sample size and follow up is sufficient.