Does therapy of oesophageal varices influences the progression of varices?

BACKGROUND Aim of this study was to determine the progression time of oesophageal varices in patients with cirrhosis and to study whether therapy of varices has an impact on the progression time. Parameters associated with the progression of oesophageal varices were analyzed as well. METHODS One hundred and eighty-one cirrhotic patients (Child A/B/C: 105/69/15; Child score 7.6+/-2.0, initial variceal grade 1.7+/-0.9) undergoing repeated endoscopy for follow-up and/or treatment of oesophageal varices were retrospectively analyzed. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was applied to identify independent determinants of progression of oesophageal varices. RESULTS Of the 189 patients, 26 patients were on beta-blocker therapy only, 52 patients underwent ligation therapy only, and 37 patients received a combination of ligation and beta-blocker therapy of varices. The mean time of progression of oesophageal varices by one grade was 384+/-364 days. This interval did not vary significantly between patients who underwent no treatment or were on a beta-blocker and/or ligation therapy. The serum bilirubin (hazard ratio 1.030; 95% confidence interval, 1.004, 1.055; P