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Summary Background The risk of having a first cirrhosis-associated variceal bleed is lowered by about 50% by β-blockers. Use of β-blockers is currently recommended for patients with cirrhosis and oesophageal varices that are at risk of bleeding. We aimed to test the effectiveness of isosorbide mononitrate as an adjunct to the β-blocker nadolol in the prophylaxis of first variceal bleeding in these patients. Methods We did a randomised multicentre study to compare the non-selective β -blocker, nadolol, with nadolol plus isosorbide mononitrate in 146 relatively well (Child-Pugh score ≤11) patients who had oesophageal varices at risk of bleeding. Patients on nadolol alone received a single oral 40 mg daily dose. Every second day the dose was titrated to achieve 20–25% decrease in resting heart rate (maximum dose 160 mg daily). Patients receiving both drugs received nadolol as above then isosorbide mononitrate was added starting with 10 mg orally twice daily, which was increased to 20 mg unless hypotension or severe headache occurred. The main endpoint was the occurrence of variceal bleeding of any severity. Patients were followed up for up to 40 months. Findings During the study period 11 of 74 patients from the nadolol alone group and four of 72 from the nadalol plus isosorbide mononitrate group had variceal bleeding (logrank test p=0·03). Cumulative risk of variceal bleeding was 18% in the nadolol group and 7·5% in the combined treatment group (95% CI for difference 1–25%). Two patients in each group had a non-variceal bleed related to portal hypertension. 14 patients from the nadolol only group and eight from the combined treatment group died during the study period (log-rank test p=0·09). Four and eight patients, respectively, had to discontinue one of the drugs because of side-effects. Interpretation Nadolol plus isosorbide mononitrate is signifcantly more effective than nadolol alone in the primary prophylaxis of variceal bleeding in relatively well patients with cirrhosis, and has few side-effects.

The association beta-blockers plus nitrates has been reported to impair renal function and renal sodium handling, leading to increased risk of development of ascites, or worsening of a preexisting ascites, or increase in the requirements of diuretic agents. In 81 patients with cirrhosis and esophageal varices, participating in a multicenter controlled clinical trial of prophylaxis of variceal bleeding comparing nadolol (NAD) plus isosorbide-5-mononitrate (I5M) with NAD alone, renal function, presence of ascites, and diuretic requirements were assessed at inclusion and after 6 months of follow-up. No significant variation in s-urea or s-creatinine was observed in either group, Three patients in the nadolol group and two in the NAD plus I5M developed ascites at 6 months (P = .70), and a need to increase diuretic regimen was observed in four and three patients, respectively (P = .76). Decrease in heart rate and in mean arterial pressure was similar in the two groups. There was a significant correlation between increases in s-creatinine and decrease in mean arterial pressure in the whole series (P = .015). Only in patients treated with the association was there a significant larger proportion of patients ascitic who became anascitic, than of patients anascitic who became ascitic (P = .03). In patients treated with the association, there was a significantly larger decrease in hepatic venous pressure gradient (P = .05). It is concluded that patients treated with the association NAD plus I5M are not at increased risk of developing renal dysfunction or worsening of ascites compared with patients treated with NAD alone.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

It is clearly established that beta-blockers decrease the risk of a first variceal bleeding in cirrhosis. We have recently shown that the addition of isosorbide mononitrate to nadolol decreases the rate of variceal bleeding in patients with cirrhosis and varices, compared with nadolol alone, after a median follow-up of 30 months. It is not established if the long-term treatment with the combination continues to be beneficial. Therefore, we assessed the long-term effect of this combination on first variceal bleeding, complications, and death. One hundred forty-six cirrhotic patients with esophageal varices included in a previously published multicenter, randomized study comparing nadolol (40-160 mg/d) with the combination nadolol plus isosorbide mononitrate (10-20 mg 3 times per day) were followed up for up to 7 years (median follow-up, 55 months). The primary end-point was variceal bleeding of any severity. Twenty-four patients (16 in the nadolol group, and 8 in the combination group) experienced variceal bleeding (log rank test, P =.02). Cumulative risk of bleeding was 29% and 12%, respectively (95% CI for the difference, 1%-23%). Two and 4 patients, respectively, had bleeding from portal hypertensive gastropathy (log rank test, P =.20). Thirty and 25 patients, respectively, died during follow-up (log rank test, P =.13). Twelve and 10 patients, respectively, had de novo occurrence of ascites during follow-up (log rank test, P =.29). In conclusion, nadolol plus isosorbide mononitrate is significantly more effective than nadolol alone in the long-term use. Side effects are few, and no deleterious effects on ascites occurrence or on survival occur after long-term use of this combination.