Database	Time span	Search strategy
The Cochrane Hepato‐Biliary Group Controlled Trials Register	June 2007.	antacid*
Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) in The Cochrane Library	Issue 2, 2007.	#1 MeSH descriptor Antacids explode all trees #2 antacid* #3 (#1 OR #2) #4 MeSH descriptor Esophageal and Gastric Varices explode all trees #5 ((oesophag* or esophag*) and varic*) #6 (#4 OR #5) #7 MeSH descriptor Liver Cirrhosis explode all trees #8 MeSH descriptor Fibrosis explode all trees #9 cirrho* #10 (#7 OR #8 OR #9) #11 (#3 AND #6 AND #10)
MEDLINE (WinSPIRS 5.0)	1950 to June 2007.	#1 explode "Antacids"/ all subheadings #2 antacid* #3 #1 or #2 #4 explode "Esophageal‐and‐Gastric‐Varices"/ all subheadings #5 (oesophag* or esophag*) and varic* #6 #4 or #5 #7 explode "Liver‐Cirrhosis"/ all subheadings #8 explode "Fibrosis"/ all subheadings #9 cirrho* #10 #7 or #8 or #9 #11 #3 and #6 and #10
EMBASE (WinSPIRS 5.0)	1980 to June 2007.	#1 explode "antacid‐agent"/ all subheadings #2 antacid* #3 #1 or #2 #4 explode "esophagus‐varices"/ all subheadings #5 (oesophag* or esophag*) and varic* #6 #4 or #5 #7 explode "liver‐cirrhosis"/ all subheadings #8 cirrho* #9 #7 or #8 #10 #3 and #6 and #9
Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI‐EXPANDED)	1945 to June 2007.	#3 #2 AND #1 #2 TS=cirrho* #1 TS=(antacid*)