Safety of Discontinuing NSBBs in Cirrhotic Patients With Managed Primary Aetiological Factors

Summary

This multicentre, prospective cohort study aims to enrol 375 patients with cirrhosis who meet the following criteria: 1. effective management or elimination of the primary aetiological factor (i.e., sustained virological response in chronic hepatitis C, complete viral suppression in chronic hepatitis B, or long-term alcohol abstinence in alcohol-related liver disease), 2. liver stiffness measurements under 25 kPa, and 3. absence of varices as confirmed by endoscopy Following the cessation of non-selective beta-blockers, patients will undergo a follow-up endoscopy at the one-year mark. The study's primary endpoint is recurrent varices in 1 year. Success will be defined as the upper bound of the 95% confidence interval for recurrent varices being \<5%. Should this criterion be met, the study will extend to predefined analyses of variceal haemorrhage and hepatic decompensation at 3-and 10-year intervals (funded through local resources; the General Research Fund will cover patient recruitment costs for 1 year). Clinical assessments, laboratory tests, liver and spleen stiffness measurements will be performed at baseline, 3 months, 6 months and 12 months to identify potential predictors of variceal recurrence and assess the feasibility of early identification.

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

* Aged 18 years or above
* Evidence of cirrhosis, based on either radiological and/or clinical features
* History of varices, variceal haemorrhage or portal hypertension warranting NSBB
* Removal or suppression of the primary aetiological factor (i.e., sustained virological response in chronic hepatitis C, complete hepatitis B virus DNA suppression in chronic hepatitis B, and long-term alcohol abstinence in alcohol-related liver disease)
* LSM \<25 kPa
* Provision of written informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

* Active aetiological factors not addressed in the inclusion criteria (e.g., autoimmune or hereditary liver diseases). However, hepatic steatosis-commonly coexisting with other liver diseases-is not an exclusion criterion unless accompanied by high plasma alanine aminotransferase \>40 U/L or confirmed steatohepatitis.
* Recent hepatic decompensation within the past year (total bilirubin \>50 μmol/L, prothrombin time \>1.3 times the upper normal limit \[unless attributable to use of anti-coagulation\], albumin \<35 g/L, or presence of ascites, variceal haemorrhage or hepatic encephalopathy). Notably, the Baveno VI criteria used LSM \<20-25 kPa and normal platelet count \>150×109/L to rule out varices requiring treatment (19). However, in line with the Baveno VII consensus, which sets an LSM \<25 kPa as the threshold for considering NSBB discontinuation, thrombocytopenia is not an exclusion criterion to allow the cohort to include a wider spectrum of patients.
* Current or history of hepatocellular carcinoma.
* Radiological evidence of portal vein thrombosis.
* History of other malignancies (unless in complete remission for \>5 years).
* History of liver transplantation or liver resection.
* Contraindications to undergoing endoscopy.
* Other clinical indications for NSBB (e.g., cardiovascular disease, arterial hypertension)

Conditions4

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