Nonselective beta-blocker use is associated with increased hepatic encephalopathy-related readmissions in cirrhosis

Table 4 Negative binomial generalized regression model predicting hepatic encephalopathy-related admissions per person-month

Variable	IRR (95%CI)	P value	B value
Age, yr	0.99 (0.98-1.01)	0.19	-0.010
Gender, male	1.10 (0.82-1.48)	0.54	0.094
MELD-Na score	1.05 (1.03-1.08)	< 0.001	0.052
History of EV, presence of	0.98 (0.72-1.35)	0.92	-0.016
History of TIPS, presence of	1.93 (1.24-3.01)	0.003	0.660
NSBB use, presence of	1.50 (1.08-2.07)	0.015	0.403
SBB use, presence of	0.81 (0.50-1.31)	0.40	-0.208
Lactulose use, presence of	1.47 (1.00-2.15)	0.048	0.384
Rifaximin use, presence of	0.73 (0.53-1.00)	0.050	-0.319
Ascites, presence of	1.26 (0.93-1.72)	0.14	0.233
Platelet count, × 10-3/mm3	0.997 (0.995-1.000)	0.03	-0.003

EV: Esophageal varices; IRR: Incidence rate ratio; MELD-Na: Model for End-Stage Liver Disease-Sodium; NSBB: Nonselective beta-blocker; SBB: Selective beta-blocker; TIPS: Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt.