Antiviral therapy delays esophageal variceal bleeding in hepatitis B virus-related cirrhosis

Figure 2 Sketch of delayed progression of esophageal varices by antiviral therapy. Varices were scored according to the criteria of the Japanese Association of Portal Hypertension: grade I, II, and III and given a score of 1, 2 and 3, respectively. Bleeding was scored as 4. Endoscopic eradication was scored as 0. The dark line shows the development of esophageal varices in hepatitis B virus-related cirrhosis without antiviral therapy. The dashed line is the development of varices with antiviral therapy. The grade of esophageal varices increases with time and then bleeding occurs. After endoscopic eradication, the varices score increases again until bleeding recurs. Antiviral therapy delayed both the progression of varices before and after endoscopic therapy and postponed esophageal variceal bleeding. Before endo: Before endoscopic intervention; After endo: After endoscopic intervention.