Tranexamic Acid for Acute Upper Gastrointestinal Bleed in Cirrhosis
Status:
Recruiting
Trial end date:
2021-12-31
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
The management of acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) is challenging in patients
with cirrhosis, as it is responsible for severe complications and high mortality rates.
Fibrinolytic activity of the epithelial surfaces and of the submucosal blood vessels may
interfere with hematemesis and even delay healing of ulcers. Tranexamic acid (TXA) may help
control the bleeding by counterbalancing cirrhosis-related hyperfibrinolysis. Still, there is
a lack of unbiased data to conclude on its efficacy. Tranexamic Acid in patients with acute
Upper Gastrointestinal bleed have been shown to prevent re bleed in few studies when combined
with standard medical management (which generally comprises of initial fluid resuscitation,
intravenous PPI , splanchnic vasoconstrictors, blood transfusions and coagulopathy
corrections as per lab parameters) but no randomized placebo controlled trial has been done.
The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of TXA in the early treatment of acute UGIB
as compared to placebo in patients with cirrhosis.