Endoscopic injection sclerotherapy for esophageal varices in cirrhotic patients with hepatocellular carcinoma: risk factors for survival.
OBJECTIVE
We previously showed that endoscopic injection sclerotherapy (EIS) prolonged survival in patients with esophageal varices complicated by hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and liver cirrhosis. Here, we evaluated risk factors that affect EIS outcomes. Among factors, the difference between prophylactic and emergency EIS was of interest, and we analyzed precisely.


METHODS
Subjects were 134 patients with esophageal varices complicated by HCC and liver cirrhosis: 38 underwent emergent therapy for bleeding varices and 96 underwent prophylactic sclerotherapy.


RESULTS
During 2-year observation, 22 of the 38 (57.9%) and 38 of the 96 (39.6%) died. Analysis by univariate Cox's proportional hazard model indicated that prognosis of patients receiving emergency EIS was inferior to those with prophylactic EIS. However, multivariate Cox's analysis showed that emergency EIS itself extended survivals of those with esophageal varices complicated by HCC and liver cirrhosis. Patients' hepatic function (Child-Pugh classes) and tumor sizes were also statistically significant factors for survival. Neither prophylactic nor emergency EIS prolonged survival of patients with Child C hepatic function or those with HCCs larger than 5 cm.


CONCLUSIONS
The prophylactic sclerotherapy for esophageal varices prolongs long-term survival of patients with liver cirrhosis and HCC, better than emergency therapy. However, EIS itself had no beneficial effect on patients with poor disease status.
Matsunaga
Keiji
K
Department of Internal Medicine, Saga Medical School, Saga 849-8501, Japan.
Iwakiri
Ryuichi
R
Hara
Megumi
M
Sakata
Hiroyukui
H
Ogusu
Tomofumi
T
Shimoda
Ryo
R
Oda
Kayoko
K
Utsumi
Hiroyoshi
H
Yamamoto
Kyosuke
K
Fujimoto
Kazuma
K
D004932:Esophageal and Gastric Varices / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality* / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000401:mortality*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000401:mortality*; D009829:Oleic Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012597:Sclerosing Solutions / Q000008:administration & dosage; D015911:Sclerotherapy
D009829:Oleic Acids; D012597:Sclerosing Solutions; C033343:ethanolamine oleate