Antibiotic prophylaxis for prevention of bacterial infections and death in cirrhotic patients with upper gastrointestinal bleeding

Patients with liver cirrhosis have an impaired immune response. Often, liver cirrhosis patients experience complications from portal hypertension, such as gastroesophageal varices. These varices can bleed, increasing the risk of infection and death in a short period of time, despite proper endoscopic management. Patients who develop bacterial infections during hospitalisation for gastroesophageal haemorrhage are at increased risk of dying. Twelve trials (1241 patients) assessing several antibiotic prophylaxis regimens versus no intervention or placebo were analysed, showing that antibiotic prophylaxis successfully reduced the incidence of bacterial infections. Antibiotic prophylaxis was also associated with a reduction in mortality, mortality from bacterial infections, rebleeding rate, and days of hospitalisation. The prophylactic treatment was not associated with important adverse effects. Five trials (650 patients) assessed one antibiotic regimen compared with another. All antibiotic regimens provided similar benefits and none seemed superior. Thus, to this point there is no evidence to recommend one specific antibiotic regimen over the other. All trials analysed were subject to bias; thus, results should be interpreted carefully.