Does Early TIPS Improve Survival for Cirrhotic Patients With Acute Esophageal Variceal Bleeding Admitted in Intensive Care Unit?

Acute esophageal variceal bleeding (AEVB) is a serious complication of cirrhosis, with high morbidity and mortality. The latest European recommendations(1) recommend the early implementation, within 72 hours following esophageal variceal bleeding, of a transhepatic porto-systemic shunt set up by transjugular route (TIPS) called "early TIPS" in patients at high risk of recurrence, i.e. Child C<14 or Child B with active bleeding at the time of endoscopy. The implementation of early TIPS appears to improve survival without transplantation in these patients, although the benefit among Child B patients without active bleeding has yet to be demonstrated.

Renal failure is a determining factor in the prognosis of the cirrhotic patient. For patients with refractory ascites, or type 2 hepato-renal syndrome (i.e. chronic renal failure related to portal hypertension), the use of TIPS is recommended. Although a few studies with low levels of evidence have reported a benefit in the placement of TIPS in hepato-renal syndrome type 1 (i.e. acute renal failure related to portal hypertension), the European recommendations do not recommend the use of TIPS in this context due to lack of studies on the subject. Some studies have shown an improvement in renal function after performing TIPS in refractory ascites. To date, no studies have evaluated the impact of the implementation of early-TIPS on renal function in intensive care patients.

The investigators would like to evaluate the impact on survival without liver transplantation on D28 of the implementation of early-TIPS in cirrhotic patients with AEVB requiring ICU hospitalization, compared to standard treatment (medical and endoscopic).