Clinical outcome and predictors of survival after TIPS insertion in patients with liver cirrhosis

Table 1 Baseline characteristics

Variables	Bleeding	Ascites	P value
Patients	54	27
Age (yr)			0.497
mean ± SD	61.7 ± 10.4	63.3 ± 10.8
Range	38-79	46-84
Sex (male/female)	33/21	15/12	0.634
CHILD score
A	24	6	0.052
B	28	18	NS
C	2	3	NS
MELD score	9.4 ± 4.9	13.7 ± 5.2	< 0.001
Underlying disease
Chronic viral hepatitis B/C	7/1	2/1	0.949
Alcohol abuse	38	21	NS
Autoimmune hepatitis	2	0	NC
PSC/PBC	3	0	NC
Cryptogen	3	3	NS
Re-bleeding after TIPS	13	0	NC
PPG before TIPS (mmHg)	23.4 ± 5.3	22.1 ± 5.5	0.765
PPG after TIPS (mmHg)	11.8 ± 4.0	11.7 ± 4.2	0.883
Stent diameter1 (mm)
< 12/≥ 12	6/44	4/23	0.728
Anticoagulation after TIPS	31	9	0.042
LTX after TIPS	7	1	0.131
Median survival time (mo)	> 60	29	0.009
Number of radiological controls until evaluation	6.3 ± 4.8	3.8 ± 3.1	0.029
Time interval until first radiological control	9.3 ± 10.6	4.5 ± 5.6	0.133

¹In four patients data acquisition of stent diameter not available. NS: Not significant; NC: Not calculated; LTX: Liver transplantation; TIPS: Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic stent; PPG: Portal pressure gradient; MELD: Model for end-stage liver disease; PSC: Primary sclerosing cholangitis; PBC: Primary biliary cirrhosis.

Table 2 Median survival times depending on various parameters

Parameter	Survival (mo)	95% CI (mo)	Tests	P value
Stent open	> 60	NC	Stent occluded vs open	0.027
Stent occluded at first control	50	36.6-63.4
Ascites prior to TIPS	29	1.36-56.64	Ascites vs bleeding	0.009
Bleeding prior to TIPS	> 60	NC
LTX after TIPS	> 60	NC	LTX vs no LTX	0.024
Stent diameter < 12 mm or ≥ 12 mm	> 60	NC	Stent diameter < 12 mm vs≥ 12 mm	0.486
Anticoagulation	50	14.8–85.2	Anticoag vs no anticoag	0.060
No anticoagulation	> 60	NC
PPG < 12 mmHg or ≥ 12 mmHg after TIPS	> 60	NC	PPG < 12 mmHg vs≥ 12 mmHg	0.507
Age (yr)
≥ 65	51	33.4-68.6	Age < 65 yr vs≥ 65 yr	0.053
< 65	> 60	NC
CHILD score
A	48.9	40.6-57.2	CHILD A vs B	0.013
B	40.0	32.7-47.4
C	15.0	1.4-28.6
MELD score
≤ 10	52.2	46.3-58.0	MELD score ≤ 10 vs > 10	0.001
> 10	35.3	26.9-43.6

LTX: Liver transplantation; TIPS: Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic stent; PPG: Portal pressure gradient; MELD: Model for end-stage liver disease; 95% CI: 95% confidence interval; NC: Not calculable.