title: Characteristics and outcomes of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt recipients in the VA Healthcare System.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) placement is an effective treatment for complications of portal hypertension. We aimed to describe post-TIPS mortality and its predictors in the modern era of covered stents.
  
  
  METHODS
  We identified patients with cirrhosis who underwent TIPS insertion at Veterans Affairs Healthcare facilities nationally from 2004 to 2014 (n=703), most of which (95%) were performed as elective procedures. We followed patients until the date of death, transplantation, or the end of the observation period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  TIPS recipients had a mean age of 59.3 years (SD 8) and 97% were men. The mean Model for End Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score was 13 (SD 4.8); 47% had hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, 48% had variceal hemorrhage, and 40% had ascites. During a mean follow-up of 1.72 years (SD 1.9), 57.5% of TIPS recipients died (n=404) and only 5.3% underwent liver transplantation (n=37). The median survival after TIPS was 1.74 years (interquartile range 0.3-4.7). Thirty-day mortality after TIPS was 11.6% [95% confidence interval (CI) 9.4-14.2], 1-year mortality was 40.3% (95% CI 36.7-44.2), and 3-year mortality was 61.9% (95% CI 57.9-66.0). Independent predictors of post-TIPS mortality included medical comorbidity burden, low albumin, HCV infection, and high MELD score (or high international normalized ratio and bilirubin when the components of the MELD score were analyzed individually). TIPS revision was performed at least once in 27.3% of TIPS recipients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TIPS should not be considered simply as a bridge to transplantation. Burden of extra-hepatic comorbidities, HCV infection, and low serum albumin strongly predict post-TIPS mortality in addition to the MELD score.
authors.affiliation: aPrimary Care Service bHealth Services Research and Development cDepartment of Radiology dHospital and Specialty Medicine Service, Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Healthcare System eDivision of General Internal Medicine fDivision of Interventional Radiology gDivision of Gastroenterology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington hDivision of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lerrigo
authors.forename: Lauren A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Beste
authors.forename: Steven L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Leipertz
authors.forename: Pamela K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Green
authors.forename: Anna S F
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Lok
authors.forename: Matthew J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Kogut
authors.forename: George N
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Ioannou
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001201:Ascites / Q000209:etiology; D004932:Esophageal and Gastric Varices / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D006975:Hypertension, Portal / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery / Q000821:virology; D008104:Liver Cirrhosis, Alcoholic / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009026:Mortality; D065626:Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery; D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene; D019168:Portasystemic Shunt, Transjugular Intrahepatic / Q000379:methods*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D015607:Stents; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014493:United States Department of Veterans Affairs; D014728:Veterans
chemical_list: D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene