Polytetrafluoroethylene-Covered Stent Graft Versus Bare Stent in Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt (TIPS) is used to control refractory variceal bleeding secondary to portal hypertension. This meta-analysis was conducted to systematically review polytetrafluoroethylene-covered stent grafts (CS) versus bare stents (BS) in TIPS procedure.

METHODS: Systematic search of literature databases was done from January-1990 till April-2017, using predecided keywords. Outcome measures studied were (1) primary-patency (PP) at 1 year (defined as absence of shunt insufficiency at 1 year), (2) rebleeding (RE) (3) new-onset hepatic encephalopathy ([HE] new-onset or worsening encephalopathy following the procedure), and (4) survival at 1 year (SU). Odds ratio (OR) was calculated for each outcome variable. Between-study heterogeneity was assessed by the I2 statistics and χ2 Q-test.

RESULTS: Fourteen studies (4 RCTs, 2 prospective nonrandomized, and 8 retrospective) were included with 2519 patients (1548 patients in BS group and 971 patients in CS group). Three-quarter outcome measures showed significantly better results with CS. PP was pooled from 13 studies and showed an OR = 4.75 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 3.32-6.79; P < .00001; I2  = 44%) in favor of CS. RE was pooled from six studies with odds ratio (OR) = 0.37(95% CI = 0.24-0.56; P < .00001; I2  = 0%) in favor of CS. SU was pooled from 11 studies with OR = 1.85 (95% CI = 1.44-2.38; P < .00001; I2  = 0%) in favor of CS. On subset analysis for RCTs, three outcome variables favored CS with minimal heterogeneity [PP: OR = 4.18 (95% CI = 2.66-6.55; P < .00001; I2  = 0%). RE: OR = 0.43 (95% CI = 0.25-0.72; P < .001; I2  = 0%). SU: OR = 1.85 (95% CI = 1.44-2.38, P < .00001; I2  = 0%)]. HE showed no difference between two stents on the overall and subset pooled analysis. Overall: OR = 0.86 (95% CI = 0.68-1.08; P = .19; I2  = 4%). Only RCTs: OR = 0.91 (95% CI = 0.63-1.32, P = .63; I2  = 0%).

CONCLUSIONS: CS is associated with better primary patency and survival and lesser rate of rebleeding than BS in patients undergoing TIPS procedure. There is no difference in new-onset hepatic encephalopathy.