ePTFE‐TIPS vs repetitive LVP plus albumin for the treatment of refractory ascites in patients with cirrhosis

Abstract

ePTFE-TIPS results in superior control of ascites without increasing the risk for overt HE as compared to LVP+A. Although ePTFE-TIPS improved 1-year survival in cirrhotic patients with refractory ascites, its use was not independently associated with transplant-free survival.

Safety and feasibility of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt in elderly patients with liver cirrhosis and refractory ascites

“…However, the sample size in this study was very low and the patient population was more heterogeneous, since they included patients receiving a TIPS for either RA as well as for variceal bleeding. Bucsics et al identified age as an independent predictor for post-TIPS mortality [37]. The strength of this study was that-in accordance with our study-only covered stent grafts were used.…”

“…Remarkably, the role of age as a predictor for survival after TIPS has been controversially discussed in the current literature, so far: Age was identified as a predictor for post-TIPS mortality in some [30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37], but not in all studies [38][39][40][41]. This discordance could be ascribed to methodological dissimilarities between the different studies such as the particular age thresholds for the definition of the 'elderly' population, various sample sizes, the type of stent used or the TIPS indication (RA vs. variceal bleeding).…”

MRI‐defined sarcopenia predicts mortality in patients with chronic liver disease

“…These results are in line with recent findings from our group, suggesting that sarcopenia is not linked to the severity of portal hypertension, 8 which is a main driver of hepatic decompensation. [26][27][28] Conversely, sarcopenia was a strong risk factor for increased mortality, especially in patients with cACLD, in whom it was independently linked to the outcome of interest. While the median TFS for patients with cACLD and dACLD without sarcopenia was 82 and 60 months, respectively, it was only 54 and 30 months in patients with sarcopenia respectively.…”

The value of different CT‐based methods for diagnosing low muscle mass and predicting mortality in patients with cirrhosis

“…More recently intramuscular testosterone supplementation has been shown to improve muscle mass, although no effect on liver‐related outcomes was observed . Furthermore transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS)‐implantation has been shown to potentially reverse sarcopenia and this could be an important early intervention in sarcopenic patients with refractory ascites or variceal bleeding . Nevertheless, the only available data that show an improved survival when overcoming sarcopenia come from trials investigating patients before and after TIPS .…”