Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41610161›Full record

ArticleHepatology communications2026

Rifaximin reduces rehospitalization risk in patients with cirrhosis and overt hepatic encephalopathy.

Arun B Jesudian, Patrick Gagnon-Sanschagrin, Rebecca Bungay, Kaitlyn Easson, Remi Bellefleur, Annie Guérin, Shweta Kiran Shah, Olamide Olujohungbe

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Hepatology communications, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Arun B JesudianDivision of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA.
Patrick Gagnon-SanschagrinAnalysis Group ULC, Montréal, Quebec, Canada.ORCID 0000-0002-3582-9447
Rebecca BungayAnalysis Group ULC, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.ORCID 0000-0001-7235-3292
Kaitlyn EassonAnalysis Group ULC, Montréal, Quebec, Canada.ORCID 0000-0002-5650-3673
Remi BellefleurAnalysis Group ULC, Montréal, Quebec, Canada.ORCID 0000-0001-9540-9519
Annie GuérinAnalysis Group ULC, Montréal, Quebec, Canada.ORCID 0000-0002-9333-0812
Shweta Kiran ShahHealthcare Economics and Outcomes Research, Bausch Health, Bridgewater, New Jersey, USA.
Olamide OlujohungbeHealthcare Economics and Outcomes Research, Bausch Health, Bridgewater, New Jersey, USA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundRifaximin treatment is associated with reduced rates of overt hepatic encephalopathy (OHE) hospitalization relative to lactulose alone. This real-world study evaluated the impact of treatment on rehospitalizations following an initial OHE hospitalization among commercial, Medicare, and Medicaid patients treated with rifaximin±lactulose or lactulose only.

methodsClaims data from January 1, 2016, to September 30, 2023, were used to identify adults with an initial OHE hospitalization under commercial, Medicare, and/or Medicaid coverage (index date was the day following discharge). Patients were stratified into either the rifaximin cohort (±lactulose) or the lactulose-only cohort based on treatments received within 30 days following discharge. The 30-day OHE rehospitalization rate and OHE rehospitalization rate per-patient-per-year were compared between cohorts using adjusted logistic regression and negative binomial regressions, respectively. Subgroup analyses were conducted based on the timing of rifaximin treatment and adherence to treatment guidelines.

resultsThe study included 7880 patients with an OHE hospitalization with commercial insurance (rifaximin: 5997; lactulose only: 1883), 4131 patients with Medicare insurance (rifaximin: 2419; lactulose only: 1712), and 2924 patients with Medicaid insurance (rifaximin: 1854; lactulose only: 1070). After adjustment, rifaximin was associated with a lower risk of 30-day OHE rehospitalization and lower OHE rehospitalization rates per-patient-per-year than lactulose in commercial (OR=1.75, incidence rate ratio [IRR]=1.67, respectively), Medicare (OR=1.61, IRR=1.51), and Medicaid (OR=1.50, IRR=1.54; all p<0.05) populations. Patients immediately receiving rifaximin and those with AASLD guideline-adherent escalation to rifaximin had the fewest rehospitalizations.

conclusionsTimely treatment with rifaximin in adherence with clinical practice guidelines following an initial OHE hospitalization was associated with improved short-term and longer-term rehospitalization outcomes, regardless of insurance type.

Indexed as

Gastrointestinal AgentsHepatic EncephalopathyLiver CirrhosisPatient ReadmissionRifaximinAdultAgedFemaleHumansLactuloseMaleMedicaidMedicareMiddle AgedRetrospective StudiesUnited StatesGastrointestinal AgentsLactuloseRifaximincommercial insuranceMedicaidMedicarereal-world evidencetiming of treatment

Identifiers

PMID41610161
PMCPMC12858213

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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.