Nonselective beta-blocker use is associated with increased hepatic encephalopathy-related readmissions in cirrhosis

Table 3 Univariate and multivariate Cox regression predicting the first hepatic encephalopathy-related readmission

Variable	Unadjusted		Adjusted
	HR (95%CI)	P value	HR (95%CI)	P value
Age, yr	1.00 (0.99-1.02)	0.93
Gender, male	1.03 (0.77-1.38)	0.82
MELD-Na score (reference: MELD-Na score < 15)
15 ≤ MELD-Na score ≤ 24	1.26 (0.88-1.79)	0.21
25 ≤ MELD-Na score ≤ 34	0.89 (0.58-1.36)	0.60
MELD-Na score > 34	0.38 (0.09-1.55)	0.18
History of EV, presence of	1.24 (0.93-1.66)	0.15
History of TIPS, presence of	1.34 (0.89-2.01)	0.16	1.48 (0.98-2.25)	0.065
NSBB use, presence of	1.81 (1.35-2.41)	< 0.001	1.74 (1.29-2.34)	< 0.001
SBB use, presence of	0.90 (0.55-1.46)	0.66
Lactulose use, presence of	1.28 (0.89-1.82)	0.18
Rifaximin use, presence of	0.88 (0.66-1.18)	0.40
Ascites, presence of	1.10 (0.81-1.48)	0.55
Platelet count, × 10-3/mm3	0.996 (0.994-0.999)	0.008	0.997 (0.995-1.000)	0.07

EV: Esophageal varices; HR: Hazard ratio; MELD-Na: Model for End-Stage Liver Disease-Sodium; NSBB: Nonselective beta-blocker; SBB: Selective beta-blocker; TIPS: Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt.