Impact of an acute hemodynamic response-guided protocol for primary prophylaxis of variceal bleeding

Table 1 Baseline characteristics of patients

Variable1	Acute responders, n = 52	Acute nonresponders, n = 24	P value
Age in yr	57.8 ± 10.2	57.1 ± 8.7	0.764
Sex (male)	40 (76.9)	19 (79.2)	1
Body mass index	28.6 ± 5.0	28.5 ± 4.8	0.918
Associated diseases2	34 (65.4)	16 (66.7)	1
Regular medication
Statins	3 (5.8)	3 (12.5)	0.373
Metformin	10 (19.2)	5 (20.8)	1
Antiplatelet agent	7 (13.5)	1 (4.2)	0.423
Anticoagulation	2 (3.8)	0 (0)	1
Etiology of liver disease3			0.971
Alcohol	34 (65.4)	17 (70.8)	0.794
Hepatitis C	4 (7.7)	2 (8.3)	1
Alcohol + hepatitis C	4 (7.7)	2 (8.3)	1
Other	10 (19.2)	3 (12.6)	0.744
Active alcoholism
At first hemodynamic study	11 (27.5)	4 (20.0)	0.753
During follow-up	3 (7.9)	2 (10.5)	1
Active hepatitis C
At first hemodynamic study	8 (100)	4 (100)	1
During follow-up	4 (50)	2 (50.0)	1
Esophageal varices	49 (94.2)	21 (87.5)	0.310
Small	3 (6.1)	3 (14.3)	0.355
Large	46 (93.9)	18 (85.7)
Gastric varices	3 (5.8)	3 (12.5)	0.373
Red signs	10 (20.0)	3 (13.6)	0.742
Hemoglobin in g/dL	12.7 ± 2.1	12.7 ± 2.2	0.994
Platelet count as × 103/μL	102 ± 45	122 ± 53	0.100
Prothrombin time as INR	1.36 ± 0.24	1.39 ± 0.26	0.685
Bilirubin in mg/dL3	1.7 ± 1.1	2.8 ± 4.5	0.235
Albumin in g/dL3	3.6 ± 0.6	3.6 ± 0.6	0.878
Creatinine in mg/dL	0.72 ± 0.24	0.73 ± 0.24	0.900
Sodium in mEq/L	139 ± 3	138 ± 4	0.108
Hyponatremia (< 135)	3 (6.0)	5 (20.8)	0.103
Ascites	31 (59.6)	14 (58.3)	1
Refractory ascites	1 (1.9)	1 (4.2)	0.535
Hepatic encephalopathy	8 (15.4)	4 (16.7)	1
Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis	4 (7.7)	0 (0)	0.301
Hepatocellular carcinoma	3 (5.8)	1 (4.2)	1
No previous decompensation	21 (40.4)	9 (37.5)	1
MELD	11.5 ± 3.2	12.3 ± 4.4	0.353
Child-Pugh score	6.5 ± 1.4	6.7 ± 1.6	0.560
A/B/C, %	58/40/2	50/42/8	0.388
Propranolol dose in acute test in mg	12.1 ± 2.4	12.6 ± 2.8	0.44
Free hepatic venous pressure in mmHg	10.8 ± 4.3	11.7 ± 4.7	0.386
Change from baseline, %	+18.5 ± 23.5	+3.4 ± 11.2	< 0.001
Wedged hepatic venous pressure in mmHg	30.0 ± 5.4	30.4 ± 5.5	0.581
Change from baseline, %	-6.6 ± 5.3	-1.2 ± 6.3	< 0.001
Hepatic venous pressure gradient in mmHg3	18.8 ± 3.7	18.7 ± 3.7	0.854
Change from baseline, %	-17.8 ± 7.7	-3.9 ± 5.6	< 0.001
Decrease by > 10%, %	96.2	0	< 0.001
Decrease to < 12 mmHg, %	23.1	0	0.014
Mean arterial pressure in mmHg	99 ± 9	95 ± 11	0.145
Change from baseline, %	-5.6 ± 12.2	+2.7 ± 9.7	0.008
Heart rate as bpm	78 ± 13	81 ± 15	0.315
Change from baseline, %	-18.8 ± 8.5	-19.4 ± 7.3	0.779
Right atrial pressure in mmHg	7.0 ± 2.9	7.3 ± 3.8	0.712
Change from baseline, %	+51.4 ± 41.1	+45.1 ± 45.3	0.565
Pulmonary arterial pressure in mmHg	18.3 ± 4.9	17.8 ± 5.0	0.700
Change from baseline, %	+18.6 ± 18.9	+16.1 ± 14.9	0.606
Pulmonary wedge pressure in mmHg	11.8 ± 4.1	11.4 ± 5.0	0.711
Change from baseline, %	+28.3 ± 37.2	+38.4 ± 54.9	0.384

¹Quantitative variables were expressed as mean ± SD and qualitative variables as absolute value (proportion);

²Associated diseases: hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, coronary artery disease, chronic renal disease;

³Variables included in the multivariate analysis. INR: International normalized ratio; NSBB: Nonselective beta-blockers.