%0 Journal Article
%T Impacts of rifaximin and midodrine on morbidity, mortality, and quality of life in patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis.
%A Elsabaawy MM
%A Assem M
%A Badran H
%A Mahmoud A
%A Elsabaawy D
%A Ragab A
%J Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol
%V 36
%N 8
%D 2024 Aug 1
%M 38973543
%F 2.586
%R 10.1097/MEG.0000000000002797
%X <B>BACKGROUND: </B>Vasodilatation and bacterial dislocation are the main contributors to the catastrophic events in patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis (DLC).<BR><B>OBJECTIVE: </B>The aim of this study was to evaluate the impacts of adding midodrine and rifaximin on morbidity, mortality, and quality of life in patients with DLC.<BR><B>METHODS: </B>This interventional clinical study included 100 consecutively enrolled DLC patients randomized 1 : 1 into two groups. Group A received oral midodrine (5 mg/8 h) and rifaximin (550 mg/12 h) with standard diuretic therapy, while group B received only standard diuretic therapy. Clinical and laboratory data, including the McGill Quality of Life Questionnaire, were evaluated over a 3-month treatment period.<BR><B>RESULTS: </B>In the study group, there was a significant reduction in Child-Pugh and Model for End-Stage Liver Disease scores, international normalized ratio, and mean arterial blood pressure at 2, 6, and 12 weeks (P < 0.05). Ascites, spontaneous bacterial peritonitis incidence, hematemesis, paracentesis need, and hepatic encephalopathy showed improvement after 12 weeks compared with the control group. McGill Quality of Life Questionnaire significantly improved after 6 and 12 weeks (P < 0.05). Survival rates demonstrated a noteworthy improvement (P = 0.014), substantiated by evidence in both univariate and multivariate regression analyses.<BR><B>CONCLUSIONS: </B>Combined midodrine with rifaximin represents an endowment to patients with DLC with spectacular improvements in synthetic liver functions, along with improved quality of life, and survival.