BACKGROUND Acute variceal bleeding(AVB)represents a life-threatening complication in hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)patients undergoing systemic therapy,mainly including immune checkpoint inhibitors(ICIs)and antivascula...BACKGROUND Acute variceal bleeding(AVB)represents a life-threatening complication in hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)patients undergoing systemic therapy,mainly including immune checkpoint inhibitors(ICIs)and antivascular drugs used alone or in combination.The pathogenesis of AVB in this population may involve tumor-related factors,treatment-induced effects,or progression of underlying portal hypertension.Identifying high-risk factors for AVB is crucial for the management of this patient population.AIM To develop and validate a risk prediction model for AVB occurrence in cirrhotic HCC patients receiving ICI-based systemic therapy.METHODS This retrospective study analyzed 286 HCC patients(2021-2022)receiving ICIs(mono-/combination therapy),randomly split into training(n=184)and validation(n=102)cohorts.In the training cohort,bleeding vs nonbleeding groups were compared for general information,etiological data,laboratory indicators,tumor staging,systemic treatment drugs,variceal bleeding history,and endoscopic treatment history.Risk factors for AVB were identified and used to establish a logistic regression model for predicting bleeding,which was further validated in the validation cohort.RESULTS The bleeding group had significantly higher proportions of patients with platelet count≥100×10^(9)/L,alphafetoprotein≥400 ng/mL,tumor diameter≥5 cm,portal vein tumor thrombosis,ascites,bleeding history,prior endoscopic treatment,albumin-bilirubin grade level 2-3,fibrosis-4 index(FIB-4)≥4.57,and prognostic nutritional index<45 compared to the non-bleeding group.Multivariate analysis identified tumor diameter≥5 cm,portal vein thrombosis,bleeding history,and elevated FIB-4 as independent risk factors for bleeding(P<0.05).A predictive model based on these factors showed good discrimination,with area under the receiver operating characteristic curve values of 0.861(training)and 0.816(validation).CONCLUSION A history of pre-ICI bleeding significantly increases recurrent bleeding risk,necessitating close monitoring.The FIB-4 fibrosis model,combined with tumor features,can also serve as a predictive factor for bleeding.展开更多
BACKGROUND Esophageal and gastric variceal bleeding is a catastrophic complication of portal hypertension,most commonly caused by cirrhosis of various etiologies.Although a considerable body of research has been condu...BACKGROUND Esophageal and gastric variceal bleeding is a catastrophic complication of portal hypertension,most commonly caused by cirrhosis of various etiologies.Although a considerable body of research has been conducted in this area,the complexity of the disease and the lack of standardized treatment strategies have led to fragmented findings,insufficient information,and a lack of systematic investigation.Bibliometric analysis can help clarify research trends,identify core topics,and reveal potential future directions.Therefore,this study aims to use bibliometric methods to conduct an in-depth exploration of research progress in this field,with the expectation of providing new insights for both clinical practice and scientific research.AIM To evaluate research trends and advancements in esophagogastric variceal bleeding(EGVB)over the past twenty years.METHODS Relevant publications on EGVB were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection.VOSviewer,Pajek,CiteSpace,and the bibliometrix package were then employed to perform bibliometric visualizations of publication volume,countries,institutions,journals,authors,keywords,and citation counts.RESULTS The analysis focused on original research articles and review papers.From 2004 to 2023,a total of 2097 records on EGVB were retrieved.The number of relevant publications has increased significantly over the past two decades,especially in China and the United States.The leading contributors in this field,in terms of countries,institutions,authors,and journals,were China,Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris,Bosch Jaime,and World Journal of Gastroenterology,respectively.Core keywords in this field include portal hypertension,management,liver cirrhosis,risk,prevention,and diagnosis.Future research directions may focus on optimizing diagnostic methods,personalized treatment,and multidisciplinary collaboration.CONCLUSION Using bibliometric methods,this study reveals the developmental trajectory and trends in research on EGVB,underscoring risk assessment and diagnostic optimization as the core areas of current focus.The study provides an innovative and systematic perspective for this field,indicating that future research could center on multidisciplinary collaboration,personalized treatment approaches,and the development of new diagnostic tools.Moreover,this work offers practical research directions for both the academic community and clinical practice,driving continued advancement in this domain.展开更多
A recent study by Peng et al developed a predictive model for first-instance secondary esophageal variceal bleeding in cirrhotic patients by integrating clinical and multi-organ radiomic features.The combined radiomic...A recent study by Peng et al developed a predictive model for first-instance secondary esophageal variceal bleeding in cirrhotic patients by integrating clinical and multi-organ radiomic features.The combined radiomic-clinical model demonstrated strong predictive capabilities,achieving an area under the curve of 0.951 in the training cohort and 0.930 in the validation cohort.The results highlight the potential of noninvasive prediction models in assessing esophageal variceal bleeding risk,aiding in timely clinical decision-making.Additionally,manual delineation of regions of interest raises the risk of observer bias despite efforts to minimize it.The study adjusted for clinical covariates,while some potential confounders,such as socioeconomic status,alcohol use,and liver function scores,were not included.Additionally,an imbalance in cohort sizes between the training and validation groups may reduce the statistical power of validation.Expanding the validation cohort and incorporating multi-center external validation would improve generalizability.Future studies should focus on incorporating long-term patient outcomes,exploring additional imaging modalities,and integrating automated segmentation techniques to refine the predictive model.展开更多
BACKGROUND Globally,Liver cirrhosis is the 14th leading cause of death and poses a significant threat to human health.AIM To investigate the effects of a multidisciplinary collaboration model on postoperative recovery...BACKGROUND Globally,Liver cirrhosis is the 14th leading cause of death and poses a significant threat to human health.AIM To investigate the effects of a multidisciplinary collaboration model on postoperative recovery and psychological stress in patients with liver cirrhosis undergoing esophageal variceal bleeding(EVB)surgery within an integrated healthcare system.METHODS Between January 2022 and March 2024,a total of 180 patients with cirrhosis and EVB were admitted and randomly assigned to either a control group(standard care)or an observation group(standard care plus the multidisciplinary collaboration model),with 90 patients in each group.Postoperative recovery indicators(time to symptom improvement,time to start eating,time to bowel sound recovery,time to first flatus,and hospital stay),psychological stress responses[selfrating anxiety scale(SAS);self-rating depression scale(SDS)],subjective wellbeing,and incidence of complications were compared between the two groups.RESULTS Compared to the control group,the observation group showed earlier symptom improvement,earlier return to eating,bowel sound recovery,first flatus,and a shorter hospital stay.Pre-intervention SAS and SDS scores were not significantly different between the groups,but post-intervention scores were significantly lower in the observation group.Similarly,there was no significant difference in the subjective well-being scores before the intervention between the two groups.After the intervention,both groups showed improved scores,with the observation group scoring significantly higher than the control group.CONCLUSION The observation group also had a lower incidence of complications.Therefore,for patients with liver cirrhosis undergoing EVB surgery,a multidisciplinary collaboration model within an integrated healthcare system can promote early postoperative recovery,reduces psychological stress,improves subjective well-being,and reduces complications and rebleeding.展开更多
BACKGROUND Budd-Chiari syndrome(BCS)is caused by obstruction of the hepatic veins or suprahepatic inferior vena cava,leading to portal hypertension and the development of gastroesophageal varices(GEVs),which are assoc...BACKGROUND Budd-Chiari syndrome(BCS)is caused by obstruction of the hepatic veins or suprahepatic inferior vena cava,leading to portal hypertension and the development of gastroesophageal varices(GEVs),which are associated with an increased risk of bleeding.Existing risk models for variceal bleeding in cirrhotic patients have limited applicability to BCS due to differences in pathophysiology.Radiomics,as a noninvasive technique,holds promise as a tool for more accurate prediction of bleeding risk in BCS-related GEVs.AIM To develop and validate a personalized risk model for predicting variceal bleeding in BCS patients with GEVs.METHODS We retrospectively analyzed clinical data from 444 BCS patients with GEVs in two centers.Radiomic features were extracted from portal venous phase computed tomography(CT)scans.A training cohort of 334 patients was used to develop the model,with 110 patients serving as an external validation cohort.LASSO Cox regression was used to select radiomic features for constructing a radiomics score(Radscore).Univariate and multivariate Cox regression identified independent clinical predictors.A combined radiomics+clinical(R+C)model was developed using stepwise regression.Model performance was assessed using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve(AUC),calibration plots,and decision curve analysis(DCA),with external validation to evaluate generalizability.RESULTS The Radscore comprised four hepatic and six splenic CT features,which predicted the risk of variceal bleeding.Multivariate analysis identified invasive treatment to relieve hepatic venous outflow obstruction,anticoagulant therapy,and hemoglobin levels as independent clinical predictors.The R+C model achieved C-indices of 0.906(training)and 0.859(validation),outperforming the radiomics and clinical models alone(AUC:training 0.936 vs 0.845 vs 0.823;validation 0.876 vs 0.712 vs 0.713).DCA showed higher clinical net benefit across the thresholds.The model stratified patients into low-,medium-and high-risk groups with significant differences in bleeding rates(P<0.001).An online tool is available at https://bcsvh.shinyapps.io/BCS_Variceal_Bleeding_Risk_Tool/.CONCLUSION We developed and validated a novel radiomics-based model that noninvasively and conveniently predicted risk of variceal bleeding in BCS patients with GEVs,aiding early identification and management of high-risk patients.展开更多
BACKGROUND Acute variceal bleeding(AVB)in patients with cirrhosis remains life-threatening;moreover,the current risk stratification methods have certain limitations.Rebleeding and mortality after AVB remain major chal...BACKGROUND Acute variceal bleeding(AVB)in patients with cirrhosis remains life-threatening;moreover,the current risk stratification methods have certain limitations.Rebleeding and mortality after AVB remain major challenges.Although preemptive transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt(p-TIPS)can improve outcomes,not all patients benefit equally.Accurate risk stratification is needed to guide treatment decisions and identify those most likely to benefit from p-TIPS.AIM To develop an artificial intelligence(AI)-driven model to guide AVB treatment decisions,and identify candidates eligible for p-TIPS.METHODS Patients with cirrhosis and AVB,from two multicenter retrospective cohorts in China,who received endoscopic variceal ligation plus pharmacotherapy(n=1227)or p-TIPS(n=1863)were included.Baseline data within 24 hours of hospital admission were obtained.The AI-AVB model,based on the six-week failure and one-year mortality rates,was developed to predict treatment efficacy and compared with standard risk scores.Outcomes and adverse events of the treatments were compared across the high-and low-risk subgroups stratified using the AI-AVB model.RESULTS The AI-AVB model demonstrated superior predictive performance compared to traditional risk stratification methods.In the internal validation cohort,the model achieved an area under the curve(AUC)of 0.842 for predicting six-week treatment failure and 0.954 for one-year mortality.In the external validation cohort,the AUCs were 0.814 and 0.889,respectively.The model effectively identified patients at high risk of first-line treatment failure who may benefit from aggressive interventions such as p-TIPS.In contrast,advancing the treatment strategy for low-risk patients did not notably improve the short-term prognosis.CONCLUSION The AI-AVB model can predict treatment outcomes,stratify the failure risk in cirrhotic patients with AVB,aid in clinical decisions,identify p-TIPS beneficiaries,and optimize personalized treatment strategies.展开更多
BACKGROUND Patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis suffering from esophagogastric variceal bleeding(EGVB)face high mortality.AIM To investigate the risk factors for EGVB in patients with liver cirrhosis and establ...BACKGROUND Patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis suffering from esophagogastric variceal bleeding(EGVB)face high mortality.AIM To investigate the risk factors for EGVB in patients with liver cirrhosis and establish a diagnostic nomogram.METHODS Patients with liver cirrhosis who met the inclusion criteria were randomly divided into training and validation cohorts in a 6:4 ratio in this retrospective research.Univariate analysis,least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression,and multivariate analysis were employed to establish the nomogram model.Calibration curve,the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve(AUC),and decision curve analysis(DCA)were applied to assess the discrimination,accuracy,and clinical practicability of the nomogram,respectively.RESULTS A total of 1115 patients were enrolled in this study.The nomogram was established based on white blood cells(P<0.001),hemoglobin(P<0.001),fibrinogen(P<0.001),total bilirubin(P=0.007),activated partial thromboplastin time(P=0.002),total bile acid(P=0.012),and ascites(P=0.006).The calibration curve indicated that the actual observation results were in good agreement with the prediction results of the model.The AUC values of the diagnostic model were 0.861 and 0.859 in the training and validation cohorts,respectively,which were higher than that of the aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index,fibrosis index based on 4 factors,and aspartate aminotransferase-to-alanine aminotransferase ratio.Additionally,DCA indicated that the net benefit value of the model was higher than that of the other models.CONCLUSION This research constructed and validated a nomogram with perfect performance for predicting EGVB events in patients with liver cirrhosis,which could help clinicians with timely diagnosis,individualized treatment,and follow-up.展开更多
BACKGROUND Early transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts(TIPS)is a therapeutic option for acute variceal bleeding(AVB),offering a low risk of rebleeding.However,the long-term outcomes of early TIPS remain uncle...BACKGROUND Early transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts(TIPS)is a therapeutic option for acute variceal bleeding(AVB),offering a low risk of rebleeding.However,the long-term outcomes of early TIPS remain unclear.AIM To evaluate the long-term outcomes for early TIPS compared with standard treatment in patients with cirrhosis and AVB.METHODS We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of patients with AVB who underwent early TIPS or standard treatment between January 2014 and December 2023.The primary outcome was overall survival(OS).RESULTS A total of 37 patients with AVB underwent early TIPS,while 65 patients received standard treatment.Compared with the standard treatment group,the rates of uncontrolled bleeding or rebleeding in the early TIPS group were significantly lower(10.8%vs 50.8%,P<0.001).Over a median follow-up of 46 months,no statistically significant differences were observed in terms of OS(P=0.507).The presence of comorbidities was identified as an independent predictor of OS(adjusted hazard ratio=3.81;95%confidence interval:1.16-12.46).Notably,new or worsening ascites occurred less frequently in the early TIPS group(13.5%vs 38.5%,P=0.008).There was no significant difference in the rate of overt hepatic encephalopathy between the two groups(45.9%vs 36.9%,P=0.372).CONCLUSION While early TIPS is not associated with a long-term survival benefit compared with standard treatment for AVB,it is associated with reduced risks of rebleeding and ascites.展开更多
BACKGROUND Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt(TIPS)is an effective intervention for managing complications of portal hypertension,particularly acute variceal bleeding(AVB).While effective in reducing portal...BACKGROUND Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt(TIPS)is an effective intervention for managing complications of portal hypertension,particularly acute variceal bleeding(AVB).While effective in reducing portal pressure and preventing rebleeding,TIPS is associated with a considerable risk of overt hepatic encephalopathy(OHE),a complication that significantly elevates mortality rates.AIM To develop a machine learning(ML)model to predict OHE occurrence post-TIPS in patients with AVB using a 5-year dataset.METHODS This retrospective single-center study included 218 patients with AVB who underwent TIPS.The dataset was divided into training(70%)and testing(30%)sets.Critical features were identified using embedded methods and recursive feature elimination.Three ML algorithms-random forest,extreme gradient boosting,and logistic regression-were validated via 10-fold cross-validation.SHapley Additive exPlanations analysis was employed to interpret the model’s predictions.Survival analysis was conducted using Kaplan-Meier curves and stepwise Cox regression analysis to compare overall survival(OS)between patients with and without OHE.RESULTS The median OS of the study cohort was 47.83±22.95 months.Among the models evaluated,logistic regression demonstrated the highest performance with an area under the curve(AUC)of 0.825.Key predictors identified were Child-Pugh score,age,and portal vein thrombosis.Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that patients without OHE had a significantly longer OS(P=0.005).The 5-year survival rate was 78.4%,with an OHE incidence of 15.1%.Both actual OHE status and predicted OHE value were significant predictors in each Cox model,with model-predicted OHE achieving an AUC of 88.1 in survival prediction.CONCLUSION The ML model accurately predicts post-TIPS OHE and outperforms traditional models,supporting its use in improving outcomes in patients with AVB.展开更多
BACKGROUND Radiomics has been used in the diagnosis of cirrhosis and prediction of its associated complications.However,most current studies predict the risk of esophageal variceal bleeding(EVB)based on image features...BACKGROUND Radiomics has been used in the diagnosis of cirrhosis and prediction of its associated complications.However,most current studies predict the risk of esophageal variceal bleeding(EVB)based on image features at a single level,which results in incomplete data.Few studies have explored the use of global multi-organ radiomics for non-invasive prediction of EVB secondary to cirrhosis.AIM To develop a model based on clinical and multi-organ radiomic features to predict the risk of first-instance secondary EVB in patients with cirrhosis.METHODS In this study,208 patients with cirrhosis were retrospectively evaluated and randomly split into training(n=145)and validation(n=63)cohorts.Three areas were chosen as regions of interest for extraction of multi-organ radiomic features:The whole liver,whole spleen,and lower esophagus–gastric fundus region.In the training cohort,radiomic score(Rad-score)was created by screening radiomic features using the inter-observer and intra-observer correlation coefficients and the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator method.Independent clinical risk factors were selected using multivariate logistic regression analyses.The radiomic features and clinical risk variables were combined to create a new radiomics-clinical model(RC model).The established models were validated using the validation cohort.BACKGROUND Radiomics has been used in the diagnosis of cirrhosis and prediction of its associated complications.However,most current studies predict the risk of esophageal variceal bleeding(EVB)based on image features at a single level,which results in incomplete data.Few studies have explored the use of global multi-organ radiomics for non-invasive prediction of EVB secondary to cirrhosis.AIM To develop a model based on clinical and multi-organ radiomic features to predict the risk of first-instance secondary EVB in patients with cirrhosis.METHODS In this study,208 patients with cirrhosis were retrospectively evaluated and randomly split into training(n=145)and validation(n=63)cohorts.Three areas were chosen as regions of interest for extraction of multi-organ radiomic features:The whole liver,whole spleen,and lower esophagus–gastric fundus region.In the training cohort,radiomic score(Rad-score)was created by screening radiomic features using the inter-observer and intra-observer correlation coefficients and the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator method.Independent clinical risk factors were selected using multivariate logistic regression analyses.The radiomic features and clinical risk variables were combined to create a new radiomics-clinical model(RC model).The established models were validated using the validation cohort.RESULTS The RC model yielded the best predictive performance and accurately predicted the EVB risk of patients with cirrhosis.Ascites,portal vein thrombosis,and plasma prothrombin time were identified as independent clinical risk factors.The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve(AUC)values for the RC model,Rad-score(liver+spleen+esophagus),Rad-score(liver),Rad-score(spleen),Rad-score(esophagus),and clinical model in the training cohort were 0.951,0.930,0.801,0.831,0.864,and 0.727,respectively.The corresponding AUC values in the validation cohort were 0.930,0.886,0.763,0.792,0.857,and 0.692.CONCLUSION In patients with cirrhosis,combined multi-organ radiomics and clinical model can be used to non-invasively predict the probability of the first secondary EVB.展开更多
BACKGROUND Esophageal-gastric variceal bleeding(EGVB)represents a severe complication among patients with cirrhosis and often culminates in fatal outcomes.Interven-tional therapy,a rapidly developing treatment modalit...BACKGROUND Esophageal-gastric variceal bleeding(EGVB)represents a severe complication among patients with cirrhosis and often culminates in fatal outcomes.Interven-tional therapy,a rapidly developing treatment modality over the past few years,has found widespread application in clinical practice due to its minimally inva-sive characteristics.However,whether transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt(TIPS)treatment has an impact on patient prognosis remains controversial.METHODS A retrospective study was conducted on ninety-two patients presenting with cirrhotic EGVB who were admitted to our hospital between September 2020 and September 2022.Based on the different modes of treatment,the patients were assigned to the study group(TIPS received,n=50)or the control group(per-cutaneous transhepatic varices embolization received,n=42).Comparative ana-lyses were performed between the two groups preoperatively and one month postoperatively for the following parameters:Varicosity status;hemodynamic parameters[portal vein flow velocity(PVV)and portal vein diameter(PVD);platelet count(PLT);red blood cell count;white blood cell count(WBC);and hepatic function[albumin(ALB),total bilirubin(TBIL),and aspartate transaminase(AST)].The Generic Quality of Life Inventory-74 was utilized to assess quality of life in the two groups,and the 1-year postoperative rebleeding and survival rates were compared.RESULTS Following surgical intervention,there was an improvement in the incidence of varicosity compared to the preoperative status in both cohorts.Notably,the study group exhibited more pronounced enhancements than did the control group(P<0.05).PVV increased,and PVD decreased compared to the preoperative values,with the study cohort achieving better outcomes(P<0.05).PLT and WBC counts were elevated postoperatively in the two groups,with the study cohort displaying higher PLT and WBC counts(P<0.05).No differences were detected between the two groups in terms of serum ALB,TBIL,or AST levels either preoperatively or postoperatively(P<0.05).Postoperative scores across all dimensions of life quality surpassed preoperative scores,with the study cohort achieving higher scores(P<0.05).At 22.00%,the one-year postoperative rebleeding rate in the study cohort was significantly lower than that in the control group(42.86%;P<0.05);conversely,no marked difference was obser-ved in the 1-year postoperative survival rate between the two cohorts(P>0.05).CONCLUSION TIPS,which has demonstrated robust efficacy in managing cirrhotic EGVB,remarkably alleviates varicosity and improves hemodynamics in patients.This intervention not only results in a safer profile but also contributes significantly to a more favorable prognosis.展开更多
This editorial describes the contemporary concepts of prevention and management of gastroesophageal variceal bleeding in liver cirrhosis(LC)patients according to the current guidelines.Gastroesophageal variceal bleedi...This editorial describes the contemporary concepts of prevention and management of gastroesophageal variceal bleeding in liver cirrhosis(LC)patients according to the current guidelines.Gastroesophageal variceal bleeding is the most dangerous complication of portal hypertension in LC patients.Risk stratification and determination of an individual approach to the choice of therapeutic measures aimed at their prevention and management has emerged as one of the top concerns in modern hepatology.According to the current guidelines,in the absence of clinically significant portal hypertension,etiological and nonetiological therapies of LC is advisable for the primary preventing gastroesophageal variceal bleeding,whereas its presence serves as an indication for the administration of non-selectiveβ-blockers,among which carvedilol is the drug of choice.Non-selectiveβ-blockers,as well as endoscopic variceal ligation and transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt can be used to prevent recurrence of gastroesophageal variceal bleeding.Pharmacotherapy with vasoactive drugs(terlipressin,somatostatin,octreotide),endoscopic variceal ligation,endovascular techniques and transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt are recommended for the treatment of acute gastroesophageal variceal bleeding.Objective and accurate risk stratification of gastroesophageal variceal bleeding will allow developing individual strategies for their prevention and management,avoiding the first and further decompensation in LC,which will improve the prognosis and survival of patients suffering from it.展开更多
BACKGROUND Whether hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)with portal vein tumor thrombus(PVTT)and acute esophagogastric variceal bleeding(EGVB)can improve the success rate of endoscopic hemostasis and overall survival(OS)from ...BACKGROUND Whether hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)with portal vein tumor thrombus(PVTT)and acute esophagogastric variceal bleeding(EGVB)can improve the success rate of endoscopic hemostasis and overall survival(OS)from transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt(TIPS)remains controversial.AIM To compare the clinical outcomes between TIPS and standard treatment for such HCC patients.METHODS This monocenter,retrospective cohort study included patients diagnosed as HCC with PVTT and upper gastrointestinal bleeding.Patients were grouped by the treatment(TIPS or standard conservative treatment).The success rate of en-doscopic hemostasis,OS,rebleeding rates,and main causes of death were ana-lyzed.RESULTS Between July 2015 and September 2021,a total of 77 patients(29 with TIPS and 48 with standard treatment)were included.The success rate of endoscopic hemostasis was 96.6%in the TIPS group and 95.8%in the standard treatment group.All the 29 patients in TIPS group successful underwent TIPS procedure and had a better OS compared with standard treatment within the first 160 days after treatment(68 days vs 43 days,P=0.022),but shorter OS after 160 days(298 days vs 472 days, P = 0.022). Cheng’s Classification of PVTT, total bilirubin and Child-Pugh class wereindependently negative associated with OS (all P < 0.05). The main causes of death were liver failure or hepaticencephalopathy (75.9%) in the TIPS group and rebleeding (68.8%) in the standard treatment.CONCLUSIONTIPS could reduce the risk of early death due to rebleeding and prolong short-term survival in HCC patients withPVTT and acute EGVB, which deserves further investigation.展开更多
In this editorial,we comment on the minireview by Martino A,published in the recent issue of World Journal of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy 2023;15(12):681-689.We focused mainly on the possibility of replacing the hepati...In this editorial,we comment on the minireview by Martino A,published in the recent issue of World Journal of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy 2023;15(12):681-689.We focused mainly on the possibility of replacing the hepatic venous pressure gradient(HVPG)and endoscopy with noninvasive methods for predicting esophageal variceal bleeding.The risk factors for bleeding were the size of the varices,the red sign and the Child-Pugh score.The intrinsic core factor that drove these changes was the HVPG.Therefore,the present studies investigating noninvasive methods,including computed tomography,magnetic resonance imaging,elastography,and laboratory tests,are working on correlating imaging or serum marker data with intravenous pressure and clinical outcomes,such as bleeding.A single parameter is usually not enough to construct an efficient model.Therefore,multiple factors were used in most of the studies to construct predictive models.Encouraging results have been obtained,in which bleeding prediction was partly reached.However,these methods are not satisfactory enough to replace invasive methods,due to the many drawbacks of different studies.There is still plenty of room for future improvement.Prediction of the precise timing of bleeding using various models,and extracting the texture of variceal walls using high-definition imaging modalities to predict the red sign are interesting directions to lay investment on.展开更多
This letter to the editor relates to the study entitled“The role of computed tomography for the prediction of esophageal variceal bleeding:Current status and future perspectives”.Esophageal variceal bleeding(EVB)is ...This letter to the editor relates to the study entitled“The role of computed tomography for the prediction of esophageal variceal bleeding:Current status and future perspectives”.Esophageal variceal bleeding(EVB)is one of the most common and severe complications related to portal hypertension(PH).Despite marked advances in its management during the last three decades,EVB is still associated with significant morbidity and mortality.The risk of first EVB is related to the severity of both PH and liver disease,and to the size and endoscopic appearance of esophageal varices.Indeed,hepatic venous pressure gradient(HVPG)and esophagogastroduodenoscopy(EGD)are currently recognized as the“gold standard”and the diagnostic reference standard for the prediction of EVB,respectively.However,HVPG is an invasive,expensive,and technically complex procedure,not widely available in clinical practice,whereas EGD is mainly limited by its invasive nature.In this scenario,computed tomography(CT)has been recently proposed as a promising modality for the non-invasive prediction of EVB.While CT serves solely as a diagnostic tool and cannot replace EGD or HVPG for delivering therapeutic and physiological information,it has the potential to enhance the prediction of EVB more effectively when combined with liver disease scores,HVPG,and EGD.However,to date,evidence concerning the role of CT in this setting is still lacking,therefore we aim to summarize and discuss the current evidence concerning the role of CT in predicting the risk of EVB.展开更多
Jejunal variceal bleeding at the site of hepaticojejunostomy after pancre-aticoduodenectomy due to portal hypertension caused by extrahepatic portal vein obstruction is a life-threatening complication and is very diff...Jejunal variceal bleeding at the site of hepaticojejunostomy after pancre-aticoduodenectomy due to portal hypertension caused by extrahepatic portal vein obstruction is a life-threatening complication and is very difficult to treat.Pharma-cotherapy,endoscopic methods,transcatheter embolization of veins supplying the jejunal afferent loop,portal venous stenting,and surgical procedures can be used for the treatment of jejunal variceal bleeding.Nevertheless,the optimal mana-gement strategy has not yet been established,which is due to the lack of ran-domized controlled trials involving a large cohort of patients necessary for their development.展开更多
Antibiotic prophylaxis in patients with cirrhosis and acute variceal bleeding is part of the standard of care according to most clinical guidelines.However,with recent evidence arguing against antibiotic prophylaxis,t...Antibiotic prophylaxis in patients with cirrhosis and acute variceal bleeding is part of the standard of care according to most clinical guidelines.However,with recent evidence arguing against antibiotic prophylaxis,the role of this intervention has become less clear.展开更多
AIM： To identify clinical parameters, and develop an Upper Gastrointesinal Bleeding （UGIB） Etiology Score for predicting the types of UGIB and validate the score. METHODS： Patients with UGIB who underwent endoscop...AIM： To identify clinical parameters, and develop an Upper Gastrointesinal Bleeding （UGIB） Etiology Score for predicting the types of UGIB and validate the score. METHODS： Patients with UGIB who underwent endoscopy within 72 h were enrolled. Clinical and basic laboratory parameters were prospectively collected. Predictive factors for the types of UGIB were identified by univariate and multivariate analyses and were used to generate the UGIB Etiology Score. The best cutoff of the score was defined from the receiver operating curve and prospectively validated in another set of patients with UGIB. RESULTS： Among 261 patients with UGIB, 47 （18%） had variceal and 214 （82%） had non-variceal bleeding. Univariate analysis identified 27 distinct parameters significantly associated with the types of UGIB. Logistic regression analysis identified only 3 independent factors for predicting variceal bleeding; previous diagnosis of cirrhosis or signs of chronic liver disease （OR 22.4, 95% CI 8.3-60.4, P 〈 0.001）, red vomitus （OR 4.6, 95% CI 1.8-11.9, P = 0.02）, and red nasogastric （NG） aspirate （OR 3.3, 95% CI 1.3-8.3, P = 0.011）. The UGIB Etiology Score was calculated from （3.1× previous diagnosis of cirrhosis or signs of chronic liver disease） ＋ （1.5× red vomitus） ＋ （1.2× red NG aspirate）, when 1 and 0 are used for the presence and absence of each factor, respectively. Using a cutoff ≥ 3.1, the sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value （PPV）, and negative predictive value （NPV） in predicting variceal bleeding were 85%, 81%, 82%, 50%, and 96%, respectively. The score was prospectively validated in cases （46 variceal and 149 another set of 195 UGIB non-variceal bleeding）. The PPV and NPV of a score ≥ 3.1 for variceal bleeding were 79% and 97%, respectively. CONCLUSION： The UGIB Etiology Score, composed of 3 parameters, using a cutoff ≥ 3.1 accurately predicted variceal bleeding and may help to guide the choice of initial therapy for UGIB before endoscopy.展开更多
To assess“predictors”of esophageal varices(EV)and variceal bleeding using non-invasive markers in Albanian patients diagnosed with liver cirrhosis.METHODSOne hundred thirty-nine newly diagnosed cirrhotic patients wi...To assess“predictors”of esophageal varices(EV)and variceal bleeding using non-invasive markers in Albanian patients diagnosed with liver cirrhosis.METHODSOne hundred thirty-nine newly diagnosed cirrhotic patients without variceal bleeding were included in this analysis.Model for end-stage liver disease(MELD),aspartate aminotransferase(AST)to alanine aminotransferase(ALT)ratio(AST/ALT),AST to platelet ratio index(APRI),platelet count to spleen diameter(PC/SD),fibrosis-4-index(FIB-4),fibrosis index(FI)and King’s Score were measured for all participants.All patients underwent endoscopic assessment within two days of hospitalization.The major end point was the first esophageal variceal bleeding(EVB)event.The diagnostic performance of“predictors”for the presence of EV and EVB were assessed by sensitivity and specificity values obtained from the receiver operating characteristics procedure.RESULTSFIB-4 was the only strong and significant“predictor”of esophageal varices(multivariable-adjusted OR=1.57 for one unit increment;95%CI:1.15-2.14).Furthermore,a cut-off value of 3.23 for FIB-4 was a significant predictor of esophageal varices,with a sensitivity of 72%,a specificity of 58%and a proportion of area under the curve(AUC)of 66%(P=0.01).During the follow-up(median:31.5 mo;interquartile range:11-59 mo),34 patients(24%)experienced a first EVB.FIB-4 was a poor predictor of EVB(the AUC was only 51%)for a cut-off value of 5.02.Furthermore,the AUC of AST/ALT,APRI,PC/SD,FI,MELD and King’s Score ranged from 45%to 55%.None of the non-invasive markers turned out to be a useful predictor of EVB.CONCLUSIONDespite the low diagnostic accuracy,FIB-4 appears the most efficient non-invasive liver fibrosis marker which can be used as an initial screening tool for cirrhotic patients.展开更多
Bacterial infections are common in cirrhotic patients with acute variceal bleeding,occurring in 20%within48 h.Outcomes including early rebleeding and failure to control bleeding are strongly associated with bacterial ...Bacterial infections are common in cirrhotic patients with acute variceal bleeding,occurring in 20%within48 h.Outcomes including early rebleeding and failure to control bleeding are strongly associated with bacterial infection.However,mortality from variceal bleeding is largely determined by the severity of liver disease.Besides a higher Child-Pugh score,patients with hepatocellular carcinoma are particularly susceptible to infections.Despite several hypotheses that include increased use of instruments,greater risk of aspiration pneumonia and higher bacterial translocation,it remains debatable whether variceal bleeding results in infection or vice versa but studies suggest that antibiotic prophylaxis prior to endoscopy and up to 8 h is useful in reducing bacteremia and spontaneous bacterial peritonitis.Aerobic gram negative bacilli of enteric origin are most commonly isolated from cultures,but more recently,gram positives and quinolone-resistant organisms are increasingly seen,even though their clinical significance is unclear.Fluoroquinolones(including ciprofloxacin and norfloxacin)used for short term(7 d)have the most robust evidence and are recommended in most expert guidelines.Short term intravenous cephalosporin(especially ceftriaxone),given in a hospital setting with prevalent quinolone-resistant organisms,has been shown in studies to be beneficial,particularly in high risk patients with advanced cirrhosis.展开更多
基金Supported by Tianjin Key Medical Discipline(Specialty)Construction Project,No.TJYXZDXK-034AHebei Province 2025 Traditional Chinese Medicine Scientific Research Project Plan,No.T2025008.
文摘BACKGROUND Acute variceal bleeding(AVB)represents a life-threatening complication in hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)patients undergoing systemic therapy,mainly including immune checkpoint inhibitors(ICIs)and antivascular drugs used alone or in combination.The pathogenesis of AVB in this population may involve tumor-related factors,treatment-induced effects,or progression of underlying portal hypertension.Identifying high-risk factors for AVB is crucial for the management of this patient population.AIM To develop and validate a risk prediction model for AVB occurrence in cirrhotic HCC patients receiving ICI-based systemic therapy.METHODS This retrospective study analyzed 286 HCC patients(2021-2022)receiving ICIs(mono-/combination therapy),randomly split into training(n=184)and validation(n=102)cohorts.In the training cohort,bleeding vs nonbleeding groups were compared for general information,etiological data,laboratory indicators,tumor staging,systemic treatment drugs,variceal bleeding history,and endoscopic treatment history.Risk factors for AVB were identified and used to establish a logistic regression model for predicting bleeding,which was further validated in the validation cohort.RESULTS The bleeding group had significantly higher proportions of patients with platelet count≥100×10^(9)/L,alphafetoprotein≥400 ng/mL,tumor diameter≥5 cm,portal vein tumor thrombosis,ascites,bleeding history,prior endoscopic treatment,albumin-bilirubin grade level 2-3,fibrosis-4 index(FIB-4)≥4.57,and prognostic nutritional index<45 compared to the non-bleeding group.Multivariate analysis identified tumor diameter≥5 cm,portal vein thrombosis,bleeding history,and elevated FIB-4 as independent risk factors for bleeding(P<0.05).A predictive model based on these factors showed good discrimination,with area under the receiver operating characteristic curve values of 0.861(training)and 0.816(validation).CONCLUSION A history of pre-ICI bleeding significantly increases recurrent bleeding risk,necessitating close monitoring.The FIB-4 fibrosis model,combined with tumor features,can also serve as a predictive factor for bleeding.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.81874390 and No.81573948Shanghai Natural Science Foundation,No.21ZR1464100+1 种基金Science and Technology Innovation Action Plan of Shanghai Science and Technology Commission,No.22S11901700the Shanghai Key Specialty of Traditional Chinese Clinical Medicine,No.shslczdzk01201.
文摘BACKGROUND Esophageal and gastric variceal bleeding is a catastrophic complication of portal hypertension,most commonly caused by cirrhosis of various etiologies.Although a considerable body of research has been conducted in this area,the complexity of the disease and the lack of standardized treatment strategies have led to fragmented findings,insufficient information,and a lack of systematic investigation.Bibliometric analysis can help clarify research trends,identify core topics,and reveal potential future directions.Therefore,this study aims to use bibliometric methods to conduct an in-depth exploration of research progress in this field,with the expectation of providing new insights for both clinical practice and scientific research.AIM To evaluate research trends and advancements in esophagogastric variceal bleeding(EGVB)over the past twenty years.METHODS Relevant publications on EGVB were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection.VOSviewer,Pajek,CiteSpace,and the bibliometrix package were then employed to perform bibliometric visualizations of publication volume,countries,institutions,journals,authors,keywords,and citation counts.RESULTS The analysis focused on original research articles and review papers.From 2004 to 2023,a total of 2097 records on EGVB were retrieved.The number of relevant publications has increased significantly over the past two decades,especially in China and the United States.The leading contributors in this field,in terms of countries,institutions,authors,and journals,were China,Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris,Bosch Jaime,and World Journal of Gastroenterology,respectively.Core keywords in this field include portal hypertension,management,liver cirrhosis,risk,prevention,and diagnosis.Future research directions may focus on optimizing diagnostic methods,personalized treatment,and multidisciplinary collaboration.CONCLUSION Using bibliometric methods,this study reveals the developmental trajectory and trends in research on EGVB,underscoring risk assessment and diagnostic optimization as the core areas of current focus.The study provides an innovative and systematic perspective for this field,indicating that future research could center on multidisciplinary collaboration,personalized treatment approaches,and the development of new diagnostic tools.Moreover,this work offers practical research directions for both the academic community and clinical practice,driving continued advancement in this domain.
文摘A recent study by Peng et al developed a predictive model for first-instance secondary esophageal variceal bleeding in cirrhotic patients by integrating clinical and multi-organ radiomic features.The combined radiomic-clinical model demonstrated strong predictive capabilities,achieving an area under the curve of 0.951 in the training cohort and 0.930 in the validation cohort.The results highlight the potential of noninvasive prediction models in assessing esophageal variceal bleeding risk,aiding in timely clinical decision-making.Additionally,manual delineation of regions of interest raises the risk of observer bias despite efforts to minimize it.The study adjusted for clinical covariates,while some potential confounders,such as socioeconomic status,alcohol use,and liver function scores,were not included.Additionally,an imbalance in cohort sizes between the training and validation groups may reduce the statistical power of validation.Expanding the validation cohort and incorporating multi-center external validation would improve generalizability.Future studies should focus on incorporating long-term patient outcomes,exploring additional imaging modalities,and integrating automated segmentation techniques to refine the predictive model.
文摘BACKGROUND Globally,Liver cirrhosis is the 14th leading cause of death and poses a significant threat to human health.AIM To investigate the effects of a multidisciplinary collaboration model on postoperative recovery and psychological stress in patients with liver cirrhosis undergoing esophageal variceal bleeding(EVB)surgery within an integrated healthcare system.METHODS Between January 2022 and March 2024,a total of 180 patients with cirrhosis and EVB were admitted and randomly assigned to either a control group(standard care)or an observation group(standard care plus the multidisciplinary collaboration model),with 90 patients in each group.Postoperative recovery indicators(time to symptom improvement,time to start eating,time to bowel sound recovery,time to first flatus,and hospital stay),psychological stress responses[selfrating anxiety scale(SAS);self-rating depression scale(SDS)],subjective wellbeing,and incidence of complications were compared between the two groups.RESULTS Compared to the control group,the observation group showed earlier symptom improvement,earlier return to eating,bowel sound recovery,first flatus,and a shorter hospital stay.Pre-intervention SAS and SDS scores were not significantly different between the groups,but post-intervention scores were significantly lower in the observation group.Similarly,there was no significant difference in the subjective well-being scores before the intervention between the two groups.After the intervention,both groups showed improved scores,with the observation group scoring significantly higher than the control group.CONCLUSION The observation group also had a lower incidence of complications.Therefore,for patients with liver cirrhosis undergoing EVB surgery,a multidisciplinary collaboration model within an integrated healthcare system can promote early postoperative recovery,reduces psychological stress,improves subjective well-being,and reduces complications and rebleeding.
基金Supported by Natural Science Foundation of Henan Province,China,No.232300420232Henan Provincial Key Research and Development Project,No.231111313500.
文摘BACKGROUND Budd-Chiari syndrome(BCS)is caused by obstruction of the hepatic veins or suprahepatic inferior vena cava,leading to portal hypertension and the development of gastroesophageal varices(GEVs),which are associated with an increased risk of bleeding.Existing risk models for variceal bleeding in cirrhotic patients have limited applicability to BCS due to differences in pathophysiology.Radiomics,as a noninvasive technique,holds promise as a tool for more accurate prediction of bleeding risk in BCS-related GEVs.AIM To develop and validate a personalized risk model for predicting variceal bleeding in BCS patients with GEVs.METHODS We retrospectively analyzed clinical data from 444 BCS patients with GEVs in two centers.Radiomic features were extracted from portal venous phase computed tomography(CT)scans.A training cohort of 334 patients was used to develop the model,with 110 patients serving as an external validation cohort.LASSO Cox regression was used to select radiomic features for constructing a radiomics score(Radscore).Univariate and multivariate Cox regression identified independent clinical predictors.A combined radiomics+clinical(R+C)model was developed using stepwise regression.Model performance was assessed using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve(AUC),calibration plots,and decision curve analysis(DCA),with external validation to evaluate generalizability.RESULTS The Radscore comprised four hepatic and six splenic CT features,which predicted the risk of variceal bleeding.Multivariate analysis identified invasive treatment to relieve hepatic venous outflow obstruction,anticoagulant therapy,and hemoglobin levels as independent clinical predictors.The R+C model achieved C-indices of 0.906(training)and 0.859(validation),outperforming the radiomics and clinical models alone(AUC:training 0.936 vs 0.845 vs 0.823;validation 0.876 vs 0.712 vs 0.713).DCA showed higher clinical net benefit across the thresholds.The model stratified patients into low-,medium-and high-risk groups with significant differences in bleeding rates(P<0.001).An online tool is available at https://bcsvh.shinyapps.io/BCS_Variceal_Bleeding_Risk_Tool/.CONCLUSION We developed and validated a novel radiomics-based model that noninvasively and conveniently predicted risk of variceal bleeding in BCS patients with GEVs,aiding early identification and management of high-risk patients.
基金Supported by Key Research and Development Program of Jiangsu Province,No.BE2023767Xuzhou Key Research and Development Program under Grant,No.KC23273+1 种基金Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University,No.2022ZL26Construction Project of High-Level Hospital of Jiangsu Province,No.GSPSJ20240802.
文摘BACKGROUND Acute variceal bleeding(AVB)in patients with cirrhosis remains life-threatening;moreover,the current risk stratification methods have certain limitations.Rebleeding and mortality after AVB remain major challenges.Although preemptive transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt(p-TIPS)can improve outcomes,not all patients benefit equally.Accurate risk stratification is needed to guide treatment decisions and identify those most likely to benefit from p-TIPS.AIM To develop an artificial intelligence(AI)-driven model to guide AVB treatment decisions,and identify candidates eligible for p-TIPS.METHODS Patients with cirrhosis and AVB,from two multicenter retrospective cohorts in China,who received endoscopic variceal ligation plus pharmacotherapy(n=1227)or p-TIPS(n=1863)were included.Baseline data within 24 hours of hospital admission were obtained.The AI-AVB model,based on the six-week failure and one-year mortality rates,was developed to predict treatment efficacy and compared with standard risk scores.Outcomes and adverse events of the treatments were compared across the high-and low-risk subgroups stratified using the AI-AVB model.RESULTS The AI-AVB model demonstrated superior predictive performance compared to traditional risk stratification methods.In the internal validation cohort,the model achieved an area under the curve(AUC)of 0.842 for predicting six-week treatment failure and 0.954 for one-year mortality.In the external validation cohort,the AUCs were 0.814 and 0.889,respectively.The model effectively identified patients at high risk of first-line treatment failure who may benefit from aggressive interventions such as p-TIPS.In contrast,advancing the treatment strategy for low-risk patients did not notably improve the short-term prognosis.CONCLUSION The AI-AVB model can predict treatment outcomes,stratify the failure risk in cirrhotic patients with AVB,aid in clinical decisions,identify p-TIPS beneficiaries,and optimize personalized treatment strategies.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.82270594the National Natural Science Foundation for Youths of China,No.82103151+1 种基金the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities of Central South University,No.2022ZZTS0265the Graduate Research Innovation Project of Hunan Province,No.CX20220347.
文摘BACKGROUND Patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis suffering from esophagogastric variceal bleeding(EGVB)face high mortality.AIM To investigate the risk factors for EGVB in patients with liver cirrhosis and establish a diagnostic nomogram.METHODS Patients with liver cirrhosis who met the inclusion criteria were randomly divided into training and validation cohorts in a 6:4 ratio in this retrospective research.Univariate analysis,least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression,and multivariate analysis were employed to establish the nomogram model.Calibration curve,the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve(AUC),and decision curve analysis(DCA)were applied to assess the discrimination,accuracy,and clinical practicability of the nomogram,respectively.RESULTS A total of 1115 patients were enrolled in this study.The nomogram was established based on white blood cells(P<0.001),hemoglobin(P<0.001),fibrinogen(P<0.001),total bilirubin(P=0.007),activated partial thromboplastin time(P=0.002),total bile acid(P=0.012),and ascites(P=0.006).The calibration curve indicated that the actual observation results were in good agreement with the prediction results of the model.The AUC values of the diagnostic model were 0.861 and 0.859 in the training and validation cohorts,respectively,which were higher than that of the aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index,fibrosis index based on 4 factors,and aspartate aminotransferase-to-alanine aminotransferase ratio.Additionally,DCA indicated that the net benefit value of the model was higher than that of the other models.CONCLUSION This research constructed and validated a nomogram with perfect performance for predicting EGVB events in patients with liver cirrhosis,which could help clinicians with timely diagnosis,individualized treatment,and follow-up.
基金Supported by the Natural Science Foundation of the Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality,No.23ZR1458300the Key Discipline Project of Shanghai Municipal Health System,No.2024ZDXK0004the Doctoral Innovation Talent Base Project for Diagnosis and Treatment of Chronic Liver Diseases,No.RCJD2021B02.
文摘BACKGROUND Early transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts(TIPS)is a therapeutic option for acute variceal bleeding(AVB),offering a low risk of rebleeding.However,the long-term outcomes of early TIPS remain unclear.AIM To evaluate the long-term outcomes for early TIPS compared with standard treatment in patients with cirrhosis and AVB.METHODS We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of patients with AVB who underwent early TIPS or standard treatment between January 2014 and December 2023.The primary outcome was overall survival(OS).RESULTS A total of 37 patients with AVB underwent early TIPS,while 65 patients received standard treatment.Compared with the standard treatment group,the rates of uncontrolled bleeding or rebleeding in the early TIPS group were significantly lower(10.8%vs 50.8%,P<0.001).Over a median follow-up of 46 months,no statistically significant differences were observed in terms of OS(P=0.507).The presence of comorbidities was identified as an independent predictor of OS(adjusted hazard ratio=3.81;95%confidence interval:1.16-12.46).Notably,new or worsening ascites occurred less frequently in the early TIPS group(13.5%vs 38.5%,P=0.008).There was no significant difference in the rate of overt hepatic encephalopathy between the two groups(45.9%vs 36.9%,P=0.372).CONCLUSION While early TIPS is not associated with a long-term survival benefit compared with standard treatment for AVB,it is associated with reduced risks of rebleeding and ascites.
基金Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province,No.2024A1515013069.
文摘BACKGROUND Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt(TIPS)is an effective intervention for managing complications of portal hypertension,particularly acute variceal bleeding(AVB).While effective in reducing portal pressure and preventing rebleeding,TIPS is associated with a considerable risk of overt hepatic encephalopathy(OHE),a complication that significantly elevates mortality rates.AIM To develop a machine learning(ML)model to predict OHE occurrence post-TIPS in patients with AVB using a 5-year dataset.METHODS This retrospective single-center study included 218 patients with AVB who underwent TIPS.The dataset was divided into training(70%)and testing(30%)sets.Critical features were identified using embedded methods and recursive feature elimination.Three ML algorithms-random forest,extreme gradient boosting,and logistic regression-were validated via 10-fold cross-validation.SHapley Additive exPlanations analysis was employed to interpret the model’s predictions.Survival analysis was conducted using Kaplan-Meier curves and stepwise Cox regression analysis to compare overall survival(OS)between patients with and without OHE.RESULTS The median OS of the study cohort was 47.83±22.95 months.Among the models evaluated,logistic regression demonstrated the highest performance with an area under the curve(AUC)of 0.825.Key predictors identified were Child-Pugh score,age,and portal vein thrombosis.Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that patients without OHE had a significantly longer OS(P=0.005).The 5-year survival rate was 78.4%,with an OHE incidence of 15.1%.Both actual OHE status and predicted OHE value were significant predictors in each Cox model,with model-predicted OHE achieving an AUC of 88.1 in survival prediction.CONCLUSION The ML model accurately predicts post-TIPS OHE and outperforms traditional models,supporting its use in improving outcomes in patients with AVB.
文摘BACKGROUND Radiomics has been used in the diagnosis of cirrhosis and prediction of its associated complications.However,most current studies predict the risk of esophageal variceal bleeding(EVB)based on image features at a single level,which results in incomplete data.Few studies have explored the use of global multi-organ radiomics for non-invasive prediction of EVB secondary to cirrhosis.AIM To develop a model based on clinical and multi-organ radiomic features to predict the risk of first-instance secondary EVB in patients with cirrhosis.METHODS In this study,208 patients with cirrhosis were retrospectively evaluated and randomly split into training(n=145)and validation(n=63)cohorts.Three areas were chosen as regions of interest for extraction of multi-organ radiomic features:The whole liver,whole spleen,and lower esophagus–gastric fundus region.In the training cohort,radiomic score(Rad-score)was created by screening radiomic features using the inter-observer and intra-observer correlation coefficients and the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator method.Independent clinical risk factors were selected using multivariate logistic regression analyses.The radiomic features and clinical risk variables were combined to create a new radiomics-clinical model(RC model).The established models were validated using the validation cohort.BACKGROUND Radiomics has been used in the diagnosis of cirrhosis and prediction of its associated complications.However,most current studies predict the risk of esophageal variceal bleeding(EVB)based on image features at a single level,which results in incomplete data.Few studies have explored the use of global multi-organ radiomics for non-invasive prediction of EVB secondary to cirrhosis.AIM To develop a model based on clinical and multi-organ radiomic features to predict the risk of first-instance secondary EVB in patients with cirrhosis.METHODS In this study,208 patients with cirrhosis were retrospectively evaluated and randomly split into training(n=145)and validation(n=63)cohorts.Three areas were chosen as regions of interest for extraction of multi-organ radiomic features:The whole liver,whole spleen,and lower esophagus–gastric fundus region.In the training cohort,radiomic score(Rad-score)was created by screening radiomic features using the inter-observer and intra-observer correlation coefficients and the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator method.Independent clinical risk factors were selected using multivariate logistic regression analyses.The radiomic features and clinical risk variables were combined to create a new radiomics-clinical model(RC model).The established models were validated using the validation cohort.RESULTS The RC model yielded the best predictive performance and accurately predicted the EVB risk of patients with cirrhosis.Ascites,portal vein thrombosis,and plasma prothrombin time were identified as independent clinical risk factors.The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve(AUC)values for the RC model,Rad-score(liver+spleen+esophagus),Rad-score(liver),Rad-score(spleen),Rad-score(esophagus),and clinical model in the training cohort were 0.951,0.930,0.801,0.831,0.864,and 0.727,respectively.The corresponding AUC values in the validation cohort were 0.930,0.886,0.763,0.792,0.857,and 0.692.CONCLUSION In patients with cirrhosis,combined multi-organ radiomics and clinical model can be used to non-invasively predict the probability of the first secondary EVB.
文摘BACKGROUND Esophageal-gastric variceal bleeding(EGVB)represents a severe complication among patients with cirrhosis and often culminates in fatal outcomes.Interven-tional therapy,a rapidly developing treatment modality over the past few years,has found widespread application in clinical practice due to its minimally inva-sive characteristics.However,whether transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt(TIPS)treatment has an impact on patient prognosis remains controversial.METHODS A retrospective study was conducted on ninety-two patients presenting with cirrhotic EGVB who were admitted to our hospital between September 2020 and September 2022.Based on the different modes of treatment,the patients were assigned to the study group(TIPS received,n=50)or the control group(per-cutaneous transhepatic varices embolization received,n=42).Comparative ana-lyses were performed between the two groups preoperatively and one month postoperatively for the following parameters:Varicosity status;hemodynamic parameters[portal vein flow velocity(PVV)and portal vein diameter(PVD);platelet count(PLT);red blood cell count;white blood cell count(WBC);and hepatic function[albumin(ALB),total bilirubin(TBIL),and aspartate transaminase(AST)].The Generic Quality of Life Inventory-74 was utilized to assess quality of life in the two groups,and the 1-year postoperative rebleeding and survival rates were compared.RESULTS Following surgical intervention,there was an improvement in the incidence of varicosity compared to the preoperative status in both cohorts.Notably,the study group exhibited more pronounced enhancements than did the control group(P<0.05).PVV increased,and PVD decreased compared to the preoperative values,with the study cohort achieving better outcomes(P<0.05).PLT and WBC counts were elevated postoperatively in the two groups,with the study cohort displaying higher PLT and WBC counts(P<0.05).No differences were detected between the two groups in terms of serum ALB,TBIL,or AST levels either preoperatively or postoperatively(P<0.05).Postoperative scores across all dimensions of life quality surpassed preoperative scores,with the study cohort achieving higher scores(P<0.05).At 22.00%,the one-year postoperative rebleeding rate in the study cohort was significantly lower than that in the control group(42.86%;P<0.05);conversely,no marked difference was obser-ved in the 1-year postoperative survival rate between the two cohorts(P>0.05).CONCLUSION TIPS,which has demonstrated robust efficacy in managing cirrhotic EGVB,remarkably alleviates varicosity and improves hemodynamics in patients.This intervention not only results in a safer profile but also contributes significantly to a more favorable prognosis.
文摘This editorial describes the contemporary concepts of prevention and management of gastroesophageal variceal bleeding in liver cirrhosis(LC)patients according to the current guidelines.Gastroesophageal variceal bleeding is the most dangerous complication of portal hypertension in LC patients.Risk stratification and determination of an individual approach to the choice of therapeutic measures aimed at their prevention and management has emerged as one of the top concerns in modern hepatology.According to the current guidelines,in the absence of clinically significant portal hypertension,etiological and nonetiological therapies of LC is advisable for the primary preventing gastroesophageal variceal bleeding,whereas its presence serves as an indication for the administration of non-selectiveβ-blockers,among which carvedilol is the drug of choice.Non-selectiveβ-blockers,as well as endoscopic variceal ligation and transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt can be used to prevent recurrence of gastroesophageal variceal bleeding.Pharmacotherapy with vasoactive drugs(terlipressin,somatostatin,octreotide),endoscopic variceal ligation,endovascular techniques and transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt are recommended for the treatment of acute gastroesophageal variceal bleeding.Objective and accurate risk stratification of gastroesophageal variceal bleeding will allow developing individual strategies for their prevention and management,avoiding the first and further decompensation in LC,which will improve the prognosis and survival of patients suffering from it.
文摘BACKGROUND Whether hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)with portal vein tumor thrombus(PVTT)and acute esophagogastric variceal bleeding(EGVB)can improve the success rate of endoscopic hemostasis and overall survival(OS)from transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt(TIPS)remains controversial.AIM To compare the clinical outcomes between TIPS and standard treatment for such HCC patients.METHODS This monocenter,retrospective cohort study included patients diagnosed as HCC with PVTT and upper gastrointestinal bleeding.Patients were grouped by the treatment(TIPS or standard conservative treatment).The success rate of en-doscopic hemostasis,OS,rebleeding rates,and main causes of death were ana-lyzed.RESULTS Between July 2015 and September 2021,a total of 77 patients(29 with TIPS and 48 with standard treatment)were included.The success rate of endoscopic hemostasis was 96.6%in the TIPS group and 95.8%in the standard treatment group.All the 29 patients in TIPS group successful underwent TIPS procedure and had a better OS compared with standard treatment within the first 160 days after treatment(68 days vs 43 days,P=0.022),but shorter OS after 160 days(298 days vs 472 days, P = 0.022). Cheng’s Classification of PVTT, total bilirubin and Child-Pugh class wereindependently negative associated with OS (all P < 0.05). The main causes of death were liver failure or hepaticencephalopathy (75.9%) in the TIPS group and rebleeding (68.8%) in the standard treatment.CONCLUSIONTIPS could reduce the risk of early death due to rebleeding and prolong short-term survival in HCC patients withPVTT and acute EGVB, which deserves further investigation.
文摘In this editorial,we comment on the minireview by Martino A,published in the recent issue of World Journal of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy 2023;15(12):681-689.We focused mainly on the possibility of replacing the hepatic venous pressure gradient(HVPG)and endoscopy with noninvasive methods for predicting esophageal variceal bleeding.The risk factors for bleeding were the size of the varices,the red sign and the Child-Pugh score.The intrinsic core factor that drove these changes was the HVPG.Therefore,the present studies investigating noninvasive methods,including computed tomography,magnetic resonance imaging,elastography,and laboratory tests,are working on correlating imaging or serum marker data with intravenous pressure and clinical outcomes,such as bleeding.A single parameter is usually not enough to construct an efficient model.Therefore,multiple factors were used in most of the studies to construct predictive models.Encouraging results have been obtained,in which bleeding prediction was partly reached.However,these methods are not satisfactory enough to replace invasive methods,due to the many drawbacks of different studies.There is still plenty of room for future improvement.Prediction of the precise timing of bleeding using various models,and extracting the texture of variceal walls using high-definition imaging modalities to predict the red sign are interesting directions to lay investment on.
文摘This letter to the editor relates to the study entitled“The role of computed tomography for the prediction of esophageal variceal bleeding:Current status and future perspectives”.Esophageal variceal bleeding(EVB)is one of the most common and severe complications related to portal hypertension(PH).Despite marked advances in its management during the last three decades,EVB is still associated with significant morbidity and mortality.The risk of first EVB is related to the severity of both PH and liver disease,and to the size and endoscopic appearance of esophageal varices.Indeed,hepatic venous pressure gradient(HVPG)and esophagogastroduodenoscopy(EGD)are currently recognized as the“gold standard”and the diagnostic reference standard for the prediction of EVB,respectively.However,HVPG is an invasive,expensive,and technically complex procedure,not widely available in clinical practice,whereas EGD is mainly limited by its invasive nature.In this scenario,computed tomography(CT)has been recently proposed as a promising modality for the non-invasive prediction of EVB.While CT serves solely as a diagnostic tool and cannot replace EGD or HVPG for delivering therapeutic and physiological information,it has the potential to enhance the prediction of EVB more effectively when combined with liver disease scores,HVPG,and EGD.However,to date,evidence concerning the role of CT in this setting is still lacking,therefore we aim to summarize and discuss the current evidence concerning the role of CT in predicting the risk of EVB.
文摘Jejunal variceal bleeding at the site of hepaticojejunostomy after pancre-aticoduodenectomy due to portal hypertension caused by extrahepatic portal vein obstruction is a life-threatening complication and is very difficult to treat.Pharma-cotherapy,endoscopic methods,transcatheter embolization of veins supplying the jejunal afferent loop,portal venous stenting,and surgical procedures can be used for the treatment of jejunal variceal bleeding.Nevertheless,the optimal mana-gement strategy has not yet been established,which is due to the lack of ran-domized controlled trials involving a large cohort of patients necessary for their development.
文摘Antibiotic prophylaxis in patients with cirrhosis and acute variceal bleeding is part of the standard of care according to most clinical guidelines.However,with recent evidence arguing against antibiotic prophylaxis,the role of this intervention has become less clear.
文摘AIM： To identify clinical parameters, and develop an Upper Gastrointesinal Bleeding （UGIB） Etiology Score for predicting the types of UGIB and validate the score. METHODS： Patients with UGIB who underwent endoscopy within 72 h were enrolled. Clinical and basic laboratory parameters were prospectively collected. Predictive factors for the types of UGIB were identified by univariate and multivariate analyses and were used to generate the UGIB Etiology Score. The best cutoff of the score was defined from the receiver operating curve and prospectively validated in another set of patients with UGIB. RESULTS： Among 261 patients with UGIB, 47 （18%） had variceal and 214 （82%） had non-variceal bleeding. Univariate analysis identified 27 distinct parameters significantly associated with the types of UGIB. Logistic regression analysis identified only 3 independent factors for predicting variceal bleeding; previous diagnosis of cirrhosis or signs of chronic liver disease （OR 22.4, 95% CI 8.3-60.4, P 〈 0.001）, red vomitus （OR 4.6, 95% CI 1.8-11.9, P = 0.02）, and red nasogastric （NG） aspirate （OR 3.3, 95% CI 1.3-8.3, P = 0.011）. The UGIB Etiology Score was calculated from （3.1× previous diagnosis of cirrhosis or signs of chronic liver disease） ＋ （1.5× red vomitus） ＋ （1.2× red NG aspirate）, when 1 and 0 are used for the presence and absence of each factor, respectively. Using a cutoff ≥ 3.1, the sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value （PPV）, and negative predictive value （NPV） in predicting variceal bleeding were 85%, 81%, 82%, 50%, and 96%, respectively. The score was prospectively validated in cases （46 variceal and 149 another set of 195 UGIB non-variceal bleeding）. The PPV and NPV of a score ≥ 3.1 for variceal bleeding were 79% and 97%, respectively. CONCLUSION： The UGIB Etiology Score, composed of 3 parameters, using a cutoff ≥ 3.1 accurately predicted variceal bleeding and may help to guide the choice of initial therapy for UGIB before endoscopy.
文摘To assess“predictors”of esophageal varices(EV)and variceal bleeding using non-invasive markers in Albanian patients diagnosed with liver cirrhosis.METHODSOne hundred thirty-nine newly diagnosed cirrhotic patients without variceal bleeding were included in this analysis.Model for end-stage liver disease(MELD),aspartate aminotransferase(AST)to alanine aminotransferase(ALT)ratio(AST/ALT),AST to platelet ratio index(APRI),platelet count to spleen diameter(PC/SD),fibrosis-4-index(FIB-4),fibrosis index(FI)and King’s Score were measured for all participants.All patients underwent endoscopic assessment within two days of hospitalization.The major end point was the first esophageal variceal bleeding(EVB)event.The diagnostic performance of“predictors”for the presence of EV and EVB were assessed by sensitivity and specificity values obtained from the receiver operating characteristics procedure.RESULTSFIB-4 was the only strong and significant“predictor”of esophageal varices(multivariable-adjusted OR=1.57 for one unit increment;95%CI:1.15-2.14).Furthermore,a cut-off value of 3.23 for FIB-4 was a significant predictor of esophageal varices,with a sensitivity of 72%,a specificity of 58%and a proportion of area under the curve(AUC)of 66%(P=0.01).During the follow-up(median:31.5 mo;interquartile range:11-59 mo),34 patients(24%)experienced a first EVB.FIB-4 was a poor predictor of EVB(the AUC was only 51%)for a cut-off value of 5.02.Furthermore,the AUC of AST/ALT,APRI,PC/SD,FI,MELD and King’s Score ranged from 45%to 55%.None of the non-invasive markers turned out to be a useful predictor of EVB.CONCLUSIONDespite the low diagnostic accuracy,FIB-4 appears the most efficient non-invasive liver fibrosis marker which can be used as an initial screening tool for cirrhotic patients.
文摘Bacterial infections are common in cirrhotic patients with acute variceal bleeding,occurring in 20%within48 h.Outcomes including early rebleeding and failure to control bleeding are strongly associated with bacterial infection.However,mortality from variceal bleeding is largely determined by the severity of liver disease.Besides a higher Child-Pugh score,patients with hepatocellular carcinoma are particularly susceptible to infections.Despite several hypotheses that include increased use of instruments,greater risk of aspiration pneumonia and higher bacterial translocation,it remains debatable whether variceal bleeding results in infection or vice versa but studies suggest that antibiotic prophylaxis prior to endoscopy and up to 8 h is useful in reducing bacteremia and spontaneous bacterial peritonitis.Aerobic gram negative bacilli of enteric origin are most commonly isolated from cultures,but more recently,gram positives and quinolone-resistant organisms are increasingly seen,even though their clinical significance is unclear.Fluoroquinolones(including ciprofloxacin and norfloxacin)used for short term(7 d)have the most robust evidence and are recommended in most expert guidelines.Short term intravenous cephalosporin(especially ceftriaxone),given in a hospital setting with prevalent quinolone-resistant organisms,has been shown in studies to be beneficial,particularly in high risk patients with advanced cirrhosis.
