Comparative Study of Carvedilol Monotherapy Versus Combination Therapy With Endoscopic Variceal Ligation (EVL) for Primary Prophylaxis of Variceal Bleeding in Patients With Hepatocellular Carcinoma With High-Risk Esophageal Varices

NCT06836778 · Status: NOT_YET_RECRUITING · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 100

Last updated 2025-02-20

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

Esophageal varices are common in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), with an incidence rate of 63% at the time of HCC diagnosis. Following an acute variceal bleed, the 6-week mortality rate for HCC patients is as high as 26%. Mortality rates escalate notably in HCC patients experiencing acute variceal bleeding, especially with increasing cancer severity indicated by BLCL status. Research suggests that the cumulative incidence rate of variceal bleeding at one year in patients receiving primary prophylaxis is almost half that of patients not receiving any prophylaxis.

Beta blockers are the standard therapy for primary prophylaxis in patients with portal hypertension to prevent variceal bleeding. Endoscopic band ligation has also shown promising results in recent studies. However, the combined impact of beta blockers and esophageal band ligation on lowering the incidence of variceal bleeding remains unstudied.

The aim of this study is to compare the efficacy of carvedilol monotherapy versus combination therapy with carvedilol and endoscopic band ligation in patients with HCC for primary prophylaxis of high-risk esophageal varices.

Conditions

Interventions

DRUG

Carvedilol Tablets

Non-selective beta blocker (Carvedilol 3.125 mg BD for 3 days followed by 6.25 mg BD , maximum dose would be 12.5 mg BD , same shall be switch to maximum tolerable dose if Systolic BP\< 90 , H,R\<55)

PROCEDURE

Endoscopic Variceal Ligation

EVL every 3 weeks till eradication of varices followed by every 3 months.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences, India

    lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Max Age
80 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2025-02-20
Primary Completion
2026-01-31
Completion
2026-01-31

Countries

  • India

Study Locations

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Entities

Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT06836778 on ClinicalTrials.gov