Prognostic evaluation of patients with acute variceal bleeding.

摘要

In the present paper, we will review the available evidence on the prognosis of the acute variceal hemorrhage. The aim of this review is to provide some clues that may help to understand why none of the available predictive models in this setting is routinely used in clinical practice, and to identify new ways to improve our current prognostic tools. For this purpose, we will cover first some theoretical aspects that may serve as a framework to evaluate a prognostic model. In the second part of the paper, specific issues about the current knowledge of the prognosis of the acute bleeding will be revised.