Table 5.
Subgroup meta-analysis including trials comparing sclerotherapy with sclerotherapy and β-blockers
| SCL, n/N (%) | SCL + BB, n/N (%) | No. of trials analysed | I2 | OR (95% CI) | P for heterogeneity | P-value | |
| All-cause rebleeding | |||||||
| 6 mo | 91/311 (29.2) | 74/325 (22.8) | 9 | 5.8 | 1.36 (0.95-1.95)1 | 0.39 | 0.09 |
| 12 mo | 105/277 (38.0) | 69/289 (23.9) | 8 | 69.0 | 2.03 (0.97-4.25)2 | 0.002 | 0.06 |
| 24 mo | 61/173 (35.3) | 56/182 (30.8) | 5 | 45.7 | 1.26 (0.80-2.00)1 | 0.12 | 0.33 |
| Overall | 162/413 (39.2) | 110/433 (25.4) | 13 | 20.7 | 2.00 (1.49-2.69)1 | 0.23 | < 0.0001 |
| Mortality | |||||||
| 6 mo | 30/247 (12.1) | 29/259 (11.2) | 8 | 0 | 1.07 (0.61-1.87)1 | 0.57 | 0.82 |
| 12 mo | 21/184 (11.4) | 23/199 (11.6) | 6 | 0 | 0.98 (0.52-1.85)1 | 0.83 | 0.96 |
| 24 mo | 34/168 (20.2) | 26/184 (14.1) | 5 | 0 | 1.56 (0.89-2.73)1 | 0.97 | 0.12 |
| Overall | 71/412 (17.2) | 59/432 (13.7) | 13 | 0 | 1.33 (0.91-1.94)1 | 0.97 | 0.14 |
1
Fixed effect model;
2
Random effect model. SCL: Sclerotherapy; BL: Banding ligation; BB: β-blockers; OR: Odds ratio; CI: Confidence interval.