title: Partial splenic embolization has beneficial effects for the management of gastroesophageal variceal hemorrhage.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Partial splenic embolization (PSE) is used in the management of gastroesophageal variceal hemorrhage (GEVH). However, it is uncertain whether it has beneficial effects for GEVH patients in preventing variceal recurrence and variceal hemorrhage, as well as promoting overall survival (OS), when it is combined with conventional therapies.
  
  
  METHODS
  The databases including PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Google scholar, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched up to 11th of November, 2015. Meta-analyses were performed by using Review Manager 5.3 software for analyzing the risk of bias, Newcastle-Ottawa Scale for assessing the bias of cohort studies, and GRADEprofiler software for assessing outcomes obtained from the meta-analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 1505 articles were reviewed, and 1 randomized controlled trial and 5 cohort studies with 244 participants were eligible for inclusion. The pooled hazard ratio (HR) of variceal recurrence is 0.50 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.37, 0.68; P< 0.00001; I2 = 0%). The pooled HR of variceal hemorrhage is 0.24 (95% CI 0.15, 0.39; P< 0.00001; I2 = 0%). The pooled HR of OS is 0.50 (95% CI 0.33, 0.67; P< 0.00001; I2 = 0%). Meta-analyses demonstrated statistically significant superiority of combinational therapies over conventional therapies in preventing variceal recurrence and variceal hemorrhage and prolonging OS. The complications related to PSE were mild or moderate and nonfatal.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results indicate that PSE has beneficial effects for GEVH patients, however, future investigation with a larger number of subjects in clinical trials is warranted.
authors.affiliation: The Hepatosplenic Surgery Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University; Department of Interventional Radiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Interventional Radiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
authors.forename: Ruibo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Daqing, China.
authors.forename: Liquan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tong
authors.affiliation: Department of Interventional Radiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
authors.forename: Yangjing
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Interventional Radiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
authors.forename: Tongyun
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yue
authors.affiliation: The Hepatosplenic Surgery Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
authors.forename: Haiquan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Qiao
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Daqing, China.
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: The Hepatosplenic Surgery Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
authors.forename: Xueying
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Sun
mesh_terms: D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic / Q000379:methods*; D004932:Esophageal and Gastric Varices / Q000628:therapy*; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012008:Recurrence; D013157:Splenic Artery; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome