Portal hypertension: Nonselective beta-blockers in patients with refractory ascites.

摘要

Since the introduction, in 1981, of non-selective beta-blockers as a therapeutic option for portal hypertension in patients with cirrhosis, many studies have confirmed the beneficial effects of these agents in patients with poor or good liver function with or without ascites. However, patients with refractory ascites were not included in these studies and the potential value of nonselective beta-blockers in these patients was assumed. A recent study published in Hepatology by Sertse et al? investigated the outcomes of a cohort of patients with cirrhosis and refractory ascites in which 77 patients received nonselective beta-blockers and the other 74 patients did not.