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NCT Number: NCT07652203

Impact of Propranolol on the Prognosis of Patients With Decompensated Cirrhosis and MELD Score > 9

Non selective beta blockers (NSBBs), such as propranolol and nadolol, are mainstay therapies for portal hypertension in cirrhosis, but their efficacy and safety vary depending on the stage of the disease. Emerging evidence suggests that NSBBs may worsen the prognosis of advanced cirrhosis, especially in patients with a model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score of >9. The purpose of this randomized controlled trial is to evaluate the effects of the use of propranolol as recommended by the guideline on the prognosis in cirrhotic patients with a MELD score of >9.

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Key information

Conditions

Cirrhosis Fibrosis Pathologic Processes Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

About this study

This is a non-inferiority, randomized controlled trial. A total of 466 decompensated cirrhotic patients with a MELD score of >9 will be enrolled. Participants will be stratified based on the presence or absence of acute decompensation at enrollment, and then randomly assigned at a 1:1 ratio to conventional treatment combined with or without propranolol groups. All patients will receive standard medical therapy in both groups, and then regularly followed. The primary outcome is further decompensation. The secondary outcomes include recompensation and death.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • patients' age ≥18 years;
  • patients with a definitive diagnosis of liver cirrhosis;
  • patients with a MELD score of >9;
  • patients with a history of decompensation or those who are experiencing their first decompensation, such as ascites, variceal bleeding, or hepatic encephalopathy (HE);
  • patients' informed consents.

Exclusion criteria

  • patients without a definite indication for NSBBs;
  • patients with an absolute contraindication of NSBBs (severe bronchospasm, asthma, severe psychosis, high-degree atrioventricular block, etc.);
  • patients with hypersensitivity to NSBBs;
  • patients who had been treated with NSBBs before 2 weeks of enrollment;
  • patients with occlusive portal vein thrombosis;
  • patients who had undergone liver transplantation;
  • patients who had undergone transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS);
  • patients with a definitive diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma;
  • patients with an estimated life time of <12 months due to the presence of any comorbidities;
  • patients who are currently pregnant or breast-feeding.

Treatment and study plan

Conventional Therapy

Other

Conventional treatment of decompensated cirrhosis mainly includes anti-hepatic fibrosis drugs, albumin infusion, diuretics, peritoneal drainage, esophageal variceal ligation, endoscopic tissue adhesive injection, blood purification, and liver transplantation.

Propranolol

Drug

Propranolol will be started with 10-20 mg/day for the propranolol group, which will be gradually increased to the maximum tolerance dosage or achieve a heart rate of 55-60 beats per minute and a systolic blood pressure of 90mmHg.

Other names: Inderal

Primary outcomes

  1. The time from randomization to the occurrence of further decompensation

    Time frame: Time to first further decompensation event, assessed from randomization up to the end of the study (maximum of approximately 96 weeks)

    Further decompensation is defined as any of the following conditions:

    • the occurrence of a second portal hypertension driven decompensation event (ascites, variceal bleeding or HE) and/or non-obstructive jaundice;
    • the occurrence of recurrent variceal bleeding, refractory ascites, recurrent HE, SBP, and/or HRS-AKI;
    • the occurrence of ascites, HE, or jaundice in patients with bleeding alone after recovery from bleeding, according to the Baveno VII consensus.

Secondary outcomes

  1. The time from randomization to the occurrence of recompensation

    Time frame: Time to first recompensation event, assessed from randomization up to the end of the study (maximum of approximately 96 weeks)

    Recompensation is defined as all of the following criteria are met:

    • removal/suppression/cure of the primary cause of cirrhosis (e.g., removal of hepatitis C virus, sustained suppression of hepatitis B virus, or sustained alcohol abstinence in alcoholic cirrhosis);
    • resolution of ascites in the setting of discontinuation of diuretics, absence of HE in the setting of discontinuation of lactulose/rifaximin, and absence of recurrent variceal bleeding within at least 12 months;
    • stable improvement of liver function (e.g., albumin, international normalized ratio, bilirubin)

  2. The time from randomization to the occurrence of death

    Time frame: assessed from randomization up to the end of the study (maximum of approximately 96 weeks)

    All-cause mortality during the study period

  3. The composite endpoint of further decompensation and death

    Time frame: assessed from randomization up to the end of the study (maximum of approximately 96 weeks)

  4. The hierarchical composite endpoint of death and further decompensation

    Time frame: assessed from randomization up to the end of the study (maximum of approximately 96 weeks)

  5. The time from randomization to the occurrence of individual decompensation events

    Time frame: assessed from randomization up to the end of the study (maximum of approximately 96 weeks

    Individual decompensation event is defined as the time from randomization to the first occurrence of each event during the follow-up period. Individual decompensation events include:

    • first variceal bleeding (in patients without prior bleeding history);
    • variceal rebleeding (in patients with prior bleeding history);
    • ascites;
    • HE;
    • jaundice;
    • hepatorenal syndrome (HRS);
    • SBP

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Li He

CONTACT

[email protected]

18473457053

Xingshun Qi, MD

CONTACT

[email protected]

18909881019

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

General Hospital of Shenyang Military Region

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Impact of Propranolol on the Prognosis of Patients With Decompensated Cirrhosis and MELD Score > 9: a Non-inferiority Randomized Controlled Trial

Important dates

Study start
2026
Primary completion
2027
Study completion
2028
First posted
Jun 16, 2026
Registry last updated
Jun 16, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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