Table 3.

Endoscopic treatment as a secondary prophylaxis of variceal bleeding in patients with cirrhosis

Treatment comparisons	Number of trials	Number of patients	Rebleeding OR (95%CI)	Mortality OR (95%CI)
EVL vs sclerotherapy	20	1634	0.53 (0.42-0.67)	0.77 (0.59-0.99)
EVL vs NSBBs and IsMn	4	476	0.79 (0.62-1.00)	0.81 (0.61-1.08)
EVL vs EVL + NSBBs	9	955	0.59 (0.41-0.85)	0.71 (0.45-1.11)
EVL vs EVL + sclerotherapy	8	520	1.05 (0.67-1.64)	0.99 (0.68-1.44)
TIPS vs endoscopy	12	883	0.32 (0.24-0.43)	1.17 (0.85-1.61)

EVL: Endoscopic variceal ligation; IsMn: Isosorbide mononitrate; NSBBs: Non-selective beta-blockers; TIPS: Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt.