Carvedilol as an Adjunct to Endoscopic Cyanoacrylate Injection for Secondary Prophylaxis of Gastric Variceal Bleeding

Gastric variceal bleeding is a lethal complication of portal hypertension. The rebleeding rate ranged between 30% to 50% in patients after initial hemostasis. Endoscopic cyanoacrylate injection is currently the choice of endoscopic therapy of acute gastric variceal bleeding and prevention of recurrent bleeding. However, the rebleeding rate is still high in the patients undergoing repeated endoscopic cyanoacrylate injection.

Non-selective β-blockers are frequently used for the secondary prophylaxis of variceal bleeding. In the case of esophageal varices, combination of non-selective β-blockers and endoscopic therapy significantly lowers the rebleeding rate compared with endoscopic therapy alone. However, propranolol failed to decrease the rebleeding rate as an adjunct to endoscopic cyanoacrylate injection and was associated with a higher incidence of adverse effects in gastric variceal bleeding patients. A more potent non-selective β-blocker than propranolol might further decrease portal pressure and decrease the rebleeding rate.

Carvedilol is a potent non-selective β-blocker with both beta and alpha-1 blocker effect. It significantly lowers portal pressure even in propranolol non-responders. However, it is unclear weather carvedilol will play a role in the prevention of recurrent gastric variceal bleeding. The investigators conducted a randomized controlled trial to compare the efficacy of carvedilol combined with endoscopic cyanoacrylate injection with endoscopic cyanoacrylate injection alone in secondary prophylaxis of gastric variceal bleeding.

Inclusion criteria

• Age of 20 to 80 years
• Cirrhotic patients with acute gastric variceal bleeding proven by an endoscopy within 24 h of bleeding
• Stable hemodynamic condition for at least 3 days after cyanoacrylate injection

Exclusion criteria

• Previous treatment of gastric varices, including endoscopic therapy, transjugular intrahepatic porto-systemic shunt, or surgery
• Contraindications to non-selective beta-blockers or cyanoacrylate injection
• Serum total bilirubin >10 mg/dL
• Grade III/IV hepatic encephalopathy
• Hepato-renal syndrome
• Severe heart failure (NYHA Fc III/IV)
• Chronic kidney disease under renal replacement therapy
• Refractory ascites
• Malignancy other than hepatocellular carcinoma
• Pregnancy
• Pacemaker use
• Refusal to participate