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Background Patients with cirrhosis in Child-Pugh class C or those in class B who have persistent bleeding at endoscopy are at high risk for treatment failure and a poor prognosis, even if they have undergone rescue treatment with a transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS). This study evaluated the earlier use of TIPS in such patients. Methods

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In a randomized trial, we found covered stents for TIPS to increase the proportion of patients with cirrhosis and recurrent ascites who survive transplantation-free for 1 year, compared with patients given repeated LVP+A. These findings support TIPS as the first-line intervention in such patients. ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT00222014.