Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39586926›Full record

ArticleDigestive diseases and sciences2025

Challenges and Opportunities in the Adoption of p-TIPS for Acute Variceal Bleeding: Insights from a US Tertiary Center.

Stela Celaj, J Estevez, Paula Novelli, Philip Orons, Ali Al-Khafaji, Naudia L Jonassaint, Ruy J Cruz, Shahid M Malik

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Article in Digestive diseases and sciences, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Stela CelajDivision of Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, 200 Lothrop Street, Kaufmann Building, Suite 201, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA.
J EstevezDivision of Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, 200 Lothrop Street, Kaufmann Building, Suite 201, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA.
Paula NovelliDepartment of Interventional Radiology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
Philip OronsDepartment of Interventional Radiology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
Ali Al-KhafajiDepartment of Critical Care Medicine, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
Naudia L JonassaintDivision of Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, 200 Lothrop Street, Kaufmann Building, Suite 201, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA.
Ruy J CruzDepartment of Transplant Surgery, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
Shahid M MalikDivision of Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, 200 Lothrop Street, Kaufmann Building, Suite 201, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA. maliks@upmc.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0007-9274-999X

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND

aimsSince the overwhelmingly positive results of the 'early use of TIPS' published in 2010, studies in Europe and Asia have confirmed early/pre-emptive transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (p-TIPS) in high-risk patients with acute variceal bleed (AVB) reduces treatment failure and mortality compared to standard of care (SOC). There are no studies evaluating p-TIPS in a US cohort.

methodsA review of patients with cirrhosis from June 2010 to June 2020 with AVB was conducted from a single large US center.

resultsOf 745 cirrhotic patients with AVB, 18% met criteria for p-TIPS. Alcohol and HCV accounted for 75% of etiology; 13% MASLD. The mean MELD-Na score in our cohort was 24, which is ten points higher than reported in the literature for over 600 p-TIPS cases. Only 9 patients underwent p-TIPS. Patients undergoing p-TIPS were less likely to have MASLD, more likely to be female and less likely to have PSE at baseline. One-year mortality in the SOC group (including patients undergoing 'rescue TIPS') was 53% versus 0% for p-TIPS (p = 0.01).

conclusionOur observation suggests hesitancy among providers to recommend p-TIPS, likely due to concerns regarding a 'sicker' patient population. The current SOC in high-risk patients remain suboptimal. Limited data, including our own, suggest that p-TIPS may confer a survival benefit even in patients with high MELD. However, the recommendation of p-TIPS in such patients necessitates validation of its safety and efficacy. Consequently, we advocate for a RCT in the US to conclusively assess the utility of p-TIPS in this context. Until such evidence is established, it is likely that underutilization of this life-saving intervention will persist.

Indexed as

Esophageal and Gastric VaricesGastrointestinal HemorrhageLiver CirrhosisPortasystemic Shunt, Transjugular IntrahepaticAcute DiseaseAgedFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedRetrospective StudiesTertiary Care CentersTreatment OutcomeUnited StatesAcute variceal bleedCirrhosisPre-emptive TIPSRescue TIPS

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.