Table 68PICO characteristics of review question

PopulationAdults and young people (16 years and over) with endoscopically verified oesophageal varices that have never bled, with cirrhosis as the underlying cause.
Population stratification
  • Size of varices (small)
  • Size of varices (medium or large)
Interventions
  • Oral non-selective beta-blockers: carvedilol, propranolol
  • Endoscopic band ligation
  • Placebo or no intervention
Comparisons
  • Oral non-selective beta-blockers versus placebo or no intervention
  • Endoscopic band ligation versus no intervention
  • Oral non-selective beta-blockers versus endoscopic band ligation
Outcomes
  • Health-related quality of life
  • Survival (with or without transplant)
  • Free from primary variceal bleeding
  • Hospital admission
  • Hospital length of stay
  • Primary upper gastrointestinal bleeding (irrespective of bleeding source)
  • Bleeding-related mortality
  • Adverse events: fatigue
Study designRCTs, systematic reviews of RCTs

From: 10, Prophylaxis of variceal haemorrhage

Cover of Cirrhosis in Over 16s
Cirrhosis in Over 16s: Assessment and Management.
NICE Guideline, No. 50.
National Guideline Centre (UK).
Copyright © National Institute for Health and Care Excellence 2016.

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