Management of digestive bleeding related to portal hypertension in cirrhotic patients: A French multicenter cross-sectional practice survey.

Aim: To investigate the conformity of management practices of gastrointestinal hemorrhage in cirrhotic patients with relevant guidelines.

Methods: A questionnaire on the management of digestive bleeding was completed for all consecutive cirrhotic patients admitted to 31 French hospitals.

Results: One hundred and twenty-six bleeding events were recorded. It was the first bleeding episode in 79 patients (63%), of whom 40 (51%) had a prior diagnosis of cirrhosis and 25 (32%) had previously undergone an endoscopy. The bleeding episode was a recurrence in 46 patients (37%). The median time between onset and admission was 4 h, but exceeded 12 h in 42% of cases. There was an agreement between centers for early vasoactive drug administration (87% of cases), association with ligation (42%) more often than sclerosis (21%) at initial endoscopy, and antibiotic prophylaxis (64%). By contrast, prescription of beta-blockade alone or in combination (0 to 100%, P = 0.003) for secondary prophylaxis and lactulose (26% to 86%, P = 0.04), differed among centers.

Conclusion: In French hospitals, management of bleeding related to portal hypertension in cirrhotic patients is generally in keeping with the consensus. Broad variability still remains concerning beta-blockade use for secondary prophylaxis. Screening for esophageal varices, the use of antibiotic prophylaxis and patients information need to be improved.