Table 4.
Results of subgroup analyses.
| Variable | Number of patients | Combined results (95% CI) | Model | I 2 (%) | P value for heterogeneity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hemostasis of active bleeding | |||||
| Study design | |||||
| RCT | 4 (232) | 2.64 (1.15, 6.05) | Fixed effect | 0.0 | 0.407 |
| Retrospective | 2 (167) | 1.81 (0.59, 5.60) | Fixed effect | 0.0 | 0.456 |
| GV type | |||||
| Overall | 1 (30) | 1.00 (0.06, 17.62) | — | — | — |
| GOV1+2 | 1 (26) | 7.80 (1.16, 52.35) | — | — | — |
| GOV1 | 4 (337) | 2.34 (1.17, 4.69) | Fixed effect | 0.0 | 0.599 |
| Proportion of HCC | |||||
| Higher (>median) | 3 (241) | 3.87 (1.11, 13.52) | Fixed effect | 0.0 | 0.500 |
| Lower (<median) | 2 (312) | 1.89 (0.86, 4.51) | Fixed effect | 0.0 | 0.562 |
|
| |||||
| GV rebleeding | |||||
| Study design | |||||
| RCT | 3 (215) | 0.43 (0.20, 0.92) | Random effects | 56.0 | 0.103 |
| Prospective | 1 (37) | 0.28 (0.12, 0.68) | — | — | — |
| GV type | |||||
| Overall | 2 (157) | 0.32 (0.19, 0.55) | Fixed effect | 7.1 | 0.300 |
| GOV1+2 | 2 (95) | 0.52 (0.14, 1.99) | Random effects | 70.0 | 0.068 |
| Proportion of HCC | |||||
| Higher (>median) | 2 (157) | 0.32 (0.19, 0.55) | Fixed effect | 7.1 | 0.300 |
| Lower (<median) | 1 (37) | 0.28 (0.12, 0.68) | — | — | — |
|
| |||||
| Variceal obliteration | |||||
| GV type | |||||
| Overall | 2 (157) | 1.02 (0.54, 1.95) | Fixed effect | 0.0 | 0.530 |
| GOV1+2 | 1 (58) | 0.91 (0.29, 2.88) | — | — | — |
| GOV1 | 1 (150) | 0.19 (0.02, 1.66) | — | — | — |
| Proportion of HCC | |||||
| Higher (>median) | 2 (157) | 1.02 (0.54, 1.95) | Fixed effect | 0.0 | 0.530 |
| Lower (<median) | 1 (150) | 0.19 (0.02, 1.66) | — | — | — |
|
| |||||
| Treatment sessions | |||||
| Study design | |||||
| RCT | 3 (307) | −0.46 (−1.58, 0.66) | Random effects | 95.3 | 0.000 |
| Prospective | 1 (37) | −0.86 (−1.53, −0.18) | — | — | — |
| GV type | |||||
| Overall | 2 (157) | 0.07 (−0.63, 0.77) | Random effects | 78.5 | 0.031 |
| GOV1+2 | 1 (37) | −0.86 (−1.53, −0.18) | — | — | — |
| GOV1 | 1 (150) | −1.51 (−1.87, −1.15) | — | — | — |
| Proportion of HCC | |||||
| Higher (>median) | 2 (157) | 0.05 (−0.64, 0.73) | Random effects | 78.4 | 0.032 |
| Lower (<median) | 2 (187) | −0.99 (−1.20, −0.79) | Fixed effect | 0.0 | 0.852 |
|
| |||||
| Complications (overall)1 | |||||
| Study design | |||||
| RCT | 3 (215) | 0.58 (0.32, 1.06) | Fixed effect | 0.0 | 0.386 |
| Prospective | 1 (37) | 0.93 (0.22, 3.96) | — | — | — |
| Retrospective | 2 (246) | 0.95 (0.51, 1.79) | Fixed effect | 0.0 | 0.804 |
| GV type | |||||
| Overall | 2 (157) | 0.68 (0.32, 1.41) | Fixed effect | 28.6 | 0.263 |
| GOV1+2 | 2 (95) | 0.56 (0.24, 1.31) | Fixed effect | 0.0 | 0.393 |
| GOV1 | 2 (246) | 0.95 (0.51, 1.79) | Fixed effect | 0.0 | 0.804 |
| Proportion of HCC | |||||
| Higher (>median) | 3 (241) | 0.70 (0.37, 1.35) | Fixed effect | 0.0 | 0.485 |
| Lower (<median) | 2 (199) | 0.98 (0.52, 1.84) | Fixed effect | 0.0 | 0.938 |
|
| |||||
| Complications (ulcers/ulcer bleeding) | |||||
| Study design | |||||
| RCT | 2 (210) | 0.92 (0.03, 33.71) | Random effects | 77.9 | 0.033 |
| Prospective | 1 (37) | 0.17 (0.01, 3.78) | — | — | — |
| Retrospective | 2 (246) | 0.30 (0.14, 0.65) | Fixed effect | 0.0 | 0.994 |
| GV type | |||||
| Overall | 1 (60) | 0.18 (0.03, 0.94) | — | — | — |
| GOV1+2 | 1 (37) | 0.17 (0.01, 3.78) | — | — | — |
| GOV1 | 3 (396) | 0.37 (0.18, 0.76) | Fixed effect | 51.2 | 0.129 |
| Proportion of HCC | |||||
| Higher (>median) | 2 (144) | 0.21 (0.05, 0.86) | Fixed effect | 0.0 | 0.759 |
| Lower (<median) | 3 (349) | 0.36 (0.17, 0.74) | Fixed effect | 53.6 | 0.116 |
|
| |||||
| Complications (infections) | |||||
| Study design | |||||
| RCT | 4 (365) | 1.11 (0.56, 2.18) | Fixed effect | 15.4 | 0.315 |
| Prospective | 1 (37) | 1.33 (0.25, 7.01) | — | — | — |
| Retrospective | 2 (246) | 0.72 (0.35, 1.49) | Fixed effect | 0.0 | 0.742 |
| GV type | |||||
| Overall | 2 (157) | 0.88 (0.38, 2.03) | Fixed effect | 0.0 | 0.941 |
| GOV1+2 | 2 (95) | 1.07 (0.37, 3.06) | Fixed effect | 0.0 | 0.735 |
| GOV1 | 3 (396) | 0.92 (0.46, 1.83) | Fixed effect | 54.1 | 0.113 |
| Proportion of HCC | |||||
| Higher (>median) | 3 (241) | 0.89 (0.42, 1.88) | Fixed effect | 0.0 | 0.995 |
| Lower (<median) | 3 (349) | 0.98 (0.50, 1.94) | Fixed effect | 55.7 | 0.104 |
GVO: cyanoacrylate injection; GVL: band ligation; GV: gastric varices; GOV: gastroesophageal varices; HCC: hepatocellular carcinoma; RCT: randomized controlled trial; CI: confidence interval; OR: odds ratio.
1Study by El Amin et al. [12] was excluded owing to heterogeneity.