[Infection and variceal bleeding in cirrhosis]

Endotoxemia and bacterial infection are frequent in patients with cirrhosis. They alter systemic and splanchnic hemodynamics, worsen coagulation disorders, impair liver function and thus may induce variceal bleeding. In variceal bleeding, bacterial infection favours failure to control bleeding, early rebleeding, and death. In patients with cirrhosis and variceal bleeding, antibiotic-prophylaxis decreases bacterial infection and the incidence of early rebleeding, and, more important, significantly decreases the death rate in these patients.