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Updated: Jan 7, 2026
Measurement of the Hepatic Venous Pressure Gradient and Transjugular Liver Biopsy
Published on: June 18, 2020
Rifaximin for Primary prophylaxis of overt hepatic encephalopathy after transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic
Chuanfu Ding1, Youwei Xing1, Siwei Liang1
1Department of Gastroenterology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
Background & Aims:
Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) is linked to an elevated risk of overt hepatic encephalopathy (OHE), yet evidence supporting primary prophylaxis for post-TIPS OHE remains limited. This study aimed to evaluate whether rifaximin reduces the incidence of post-TIPS OHE in cirrhotic patients.
Methods:
A retrospective analysis was conducted on 72 patients who received rifaximin (400 mg twice daily) for 6 months after TIPS (rifaximin group). A matched control group (n = 72) was recruited from a randomized clinical trial (ChiCTR-INR-17,012,479). The primary endpoint was the occurrence of OHE within 6 months. Secondary endpoints included 1-year mortality, rebleeding episodes, stent dysfunction, and improvements in liver function.
Results:
The 6-month incidence of OHE was significantly lower in the rifaximin group (21%, 15/72) than in the control group (40%, 29/72; P = 0.011). The risk difference was -19.5% (95% confidence interval [CI]: -34.2% to -4.7%), with an odds ratio (OR) of 0.39 (95% CI: 0.19-0.82). Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated a significantly reduced cumulative risk of OHE in the rifaximin group (log-rank P = 0.009). No significant differences were observed between groups in terms of mortality, rebleeding, or stent dysfunction (all P > 0.05).
Conclusions:
Six-month rifaximin prophylaxis following TIPS significantly reduced the incidence of early OHE in patients with cirrhosis.
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