Table 4.
Meta-analysis comparing endoscopic therapy (sclerotherapy or banding ligation) with combined endoscopic and β-blocker therapy
| SCL/BL, n/N (%) | SCL/BL + BB, n/N (%) | No. of trials analysed | I2 | OR (95% CI) | P for heterogeneity | P-value | |
| All-cause rebleeding | |||||||
| 6 mo | 121/410 (29.5) | 83/428 (19.4) | 11 | 36 | 1.70 (1.24-2.34)1 | 0.11 | 0.01 |
| 12 mo | 142/376 (37.8) | 85/392 (21.7) | 10 | 62.3 | 2.22 (1.25-3.99)2 | 0.004 | 0.007 |
| 24 mo | 106/272 (40.0) | 80/285 (28.1) | 7 | 50 | 1.67 (0.99-2.81)2 | 0.08 | 0.05 |
| Overall | 211/537 (39.3) | 132/561 (23.5) | 16 | 12.8 | 2.20 (1.69-2.85)1 | 0.31 | < 0.0001 |
| Mortality | |||||||
| 6 mo | 39/309 (12.6) | 33/319 (10.3) | 9 | 0 | 1.23 (0.75-2.04)1 | 0.53 | 0.41 |
| 12 mo | 33/246 (13.4) | 30/259 (11.6) | 7 | 0 | 1.18 (0.69-1.99)1 | 0.79 | 0.55 |
| 24 mo | 58/230 (25.2) | 37/244 (15.2) | 6 | 0 | 1.83 (1.16-2.90)1 | 0.92 | 0.009 |
| Overall | 98/536 (18.3) | 76/560 (13.6) | 16 | 0 | 1.43 (1.03-1.98)1 | 0.97 | 0.03 |
1
Fixed effect model;
2
Random effect model. SCL: Sclerotherapy; BL: Banding ligation; BB: β-blockers; OR: Odds ratio; CI: Confidence interval.