Table 4. Subgroup analyses for the meta-analysis of the association between PPI use and mortality in patients with cirrhosis.
| Characteristics | Dataset number | RR (95% CI) | P for subgroup effect | I2 | P for subgroup difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Study design | |||||
| PC | 5 | 1.34 [0.75, 2.40] | 0.33 | 79% | |
| RC | 16 | 1.40 [1.20, 1.64] | <0.001 | 73% | 0.88 |
| Ethnicity | |||||
| Caucasian | 12 | 1.42 [1.07, 1.90] | 0.02 | 83% | |
| Asian | 7 | 1.32 [1.18, 1.48] | <0.001 | 17% | 0.63 |
| Patient characteristics | |||||
| With complications or after procedure | 6 | 1.50 [1.19, 1.89] | 0.001 | 79% | |
| Without complications | 15 | 1.34 [1.08, 1.67] | 0.008 | 71% | 0.49 |
| Number of participants | |||||
| >500 | 11 | 1.33 [1.03, 1.72] | 0.03 | 71% | |
| ≤500 | 10 | 1.45 [1.18, 1.78] | 0.004 | 76% | 0.61 |
| Definition of PPI use | |||||
| Current PPI use at admission | 13 | 1.28 [1.13, 1.46] | <0.001 | 48% | |
| Any PPI use during follow-up | 7 | 1.60 [1.02, 2.53] | 0.04 | 86% | 0.35 |
| Follow-up durations | |||||
| ≤1 month | 9 | 1.19 [1.01, 1.40] | 0.04 | 70% | |
| >1 month | 15 | 1.42 [1.20, 1.68] | <0.001 | 76% | 0.15 |
Abbreviations: CI, confidence interval; PPI, proton pump inhibitor; PR, prospective cohort; RC, retrospective cohort; RR, risk ratio.