Fig. 2.

A Graph showing total aggravation rate of EV after B-RTO. Aggravation at 1 year was found in 38 of 67 patients (56.7 %), and median aggravation time was 9.3 months. B Graph showing aggravation rate of EV. We divided subjects into the following three groups according to cutoff values: group A, T-bil ≥ 1.6 mg/dL and HVPG ≥ 13 mmHg (n = 12); group B, T-bil ≥ 1.6 mg/dL or HVPG ≥ 13 mmHg (n = 25); and group C, T-bil < 1.6 mg/dL and HVPG < 13 mmHg (n = 7). Statistically, median aggravation time of EV after B-RTO was 3.8 months in group A, 5.1 months in group B, and 21 months in group C. Significant differences in aggravation time were observed between group A versus group C (P = 0.0001) and group B versus group C (P = 0.0002). In group A, all 12 patients experienced aggravation within 8 months. All five patients with ruptured EV belonged to group B. EV esophageal varices, B-RTO balloon retrograde transvenous obliteration, T-bil total bilirubin, HVPG hepatic venous pressure gradient, MELD model for end stage liver disease