Oesophageal varices

Statins

One systematic review and meta-analysis (seven randomised controlled trials [RCTs] and one observational study, search date February 2019) concluded that statins may help to reduce portal hypertension in patients with cirrhosis. However, the effects on variceal haemorrhage were less certain: analysis of the two RCTs that reported it as an outcome found no statistically significant difference and the overall result was borderline (2 RCTs and 1 observational study, RR 0.64 [95% CI 0.42 to 0.99]).[81]Wan S, Huang C, Zhu X. Systematic review with a meta-analysis: clinical effects of statins on the reduction of portal hypertension and variceal haemorrhage in cirrhotic patients. BMJ Open. 2019 Jul 16;9(7):e030038. https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/9/7/e030038.long http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31315875?tool=bestpractice.com Larger, well-designed RCTs are required.