Analysis of the treatment effect on recurrent bleeding and death in patients with cirrhosis and esophageal varices: multistage competing-risks model compared to conventional methods. The Copenhagen Esophageal Varices Sclerotherapy Project

Multiple recurrences of bleeding with high mortality in cirrhosis with esophageal varices have been inadequately analyzed in previous trials. We propose analysis by the multistage competing-risks model, specifying the effect on overall mortality as an effect on mortality during bleeding, rate of cessation of bleeding, mortality rate without bleeding, and rate of rebleeding.