Scientific Programme

Session 1
EVALUATION AND RISK STRATIFICATION

Part 1: HVPG as a gold standard
Chairpersons: J.C. Garcia-Pagàn (Barcelona), Z. Haskal (Charlotteville)
Panelists: F. Schepis (Modena), R. Gaba (Chicago), H. Ferral (Evanston)

• Quality Metrics in HVPG and Porto-Systemic Pressure Gradient (PPG)
• Usefulness of HVPG in:
  • the diagnosis of CSPH in cirrhosis of different etiologies
  • assessing the response to vasoactive drugs for risk stratification of variceal (re-)bleeding
  • assessing the prognosis of patients with cirrhosis
  • clinical trials vs. proof of concept studies
• PPG in the setting of TIPS
• Consensus statements

Part 2: Noninvasive tools for cACLD and portal hypertension
Chairpersons: A. Berzigotti (Bern), J. Genescà (Barcelona)
Panelists: JG. Abraldes (Edmonton), M. Thiele (Odense), J. Fallowfield (Edinburgh)

• cACLD and CSPH
• Detection of varices with noninvasive tools and screening endoscopy
• Use of noninvasive tools for prognosis in cirrhosis
• Spleen stiffness
• Emerging non-invasive markers: imaging, blood and liver clearance tests
• Proposed consensus statements

Session 2
NEW SCENARIOS

Part 1: Impact of etiological therapies in the course of cirrhosis
Chairpersons: M. Mandorfer (Vienna), E. Tsochatzis (London)
Panelists: H. Yoshiji (Kashihara), S. Francque (Antwerp), J. Jia (Bejing), S. Lens (Barcelona)

• Impact of etiological therapies on disease progression vs. regression in
  • Alcohol-related liver disease
  • Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
  • Hepatitis B
  • Hepatitis C
• Presentation of recommendations for the management of cirrhosis after control of the primary etiological factor

Part 2: Impact of non-etiological therapies in the course of cirrhosis
Chairpersons: A. Albillos (Madrid), J. Trebicka (Frankfurt)
Panelists: J. Bajaj (Richmond), J. Gracia (Barcelona), A. Krag (Odense), W. Laleman (Leuven), V. Shah (Rochester)

• Impact of drugs acting on the gut/microbiome
• Impact of statins and FXR/PPAR agonists in the treatment of patients with cirrhosis and portal hypertension
• Use of anticoagulants (LMWH, DOAC) and antiplatelet drugs (ASS) in the management of cirrhosis and portal hypertension
• Proposed consensus statements

Session 3
CLINICAL SETTINGS

Part 1: Preventing (first) decompensation.
Review of current evidence.
Chairpersons: J. Bosch (Bern), C. Ripoll (Halle)
Panelists: V. Calvaruso (Palermo), R. Bañares (Madrid), S. Gomes Rodrigues (Bern), A. Dell’Era (Milan), C. Villanueva (Barcelona), D. Tripathi (Birmingham)

• Results of the questionnaire
• Definition of decompensation:
  • Systematic review of studies that evaluate the natural history of cirrhosis and their definition of decompensation
  • The role of jaundice, perihepatic ascites, MHE and bleeding due to portal hypertensive gastropathy in the definition of decompensation
  • Impact of the sole presence of infection and of sarcopenia (without other manifestations of decompensation) in the natural history of compensated cirrhosis
• Use of NSBB in prevention of (first) decompensation:
  • Specific evaluation of the effect of CSPH, reduction of HVPG and other predictive factors
  • Meta-analysis with individual patient data on the effects of Carvedilol in the prevention of first decompensation
• Proposed Consensus Statements: Prevention of first decompensation

Part 2: Acute variceal bleeding
Chairpersons: D. Thabut (Paris), V. Hernández-Gea (Barcelona)
Panelists: D. Patch (London), A. Cárdenas (Barcelona), A. Escorsell (Barcelona), M. Rudler (Paris), B. Procopet (Cluj-Napoca), X. Luo (Chengdu), G. Han (Xi’An)

• Patient Risk stratification and prognostic factors
• Novelties in general management of Acute Variceal Bleeding (AVB)
• Endoscopic management: classic and new therapies
• Pre-emptive TIPS
• Management of refractory bleeding
• Proposed consensus statements

Part 3: Preventing further decompensation.
Review of current evidence.
Chairpersons: G. Garcia-Tsao (New Haven), T. Reiberger (Vienna)
Panelists: C. Bureau (Toulouse), G. D’Amico (Palermo), V. La Mura (Milan), S. Piano (Padua), P. Tandon (Edmonton), L. Turco (Modena)

• Clinical concept of further decompensation: outcomes and risk stratification
  • Mortality per type of initial event (ascites, variceal hemorrhage)
  • Further decompensation per type of initial event (VH or/and ascites)
• Prevention of further decompensation
  • Prevention of rebleeding and other further decompensating events
  • Should NSBB be used in patients with ascites for the prevention of further decompensation?
  • Readdress use of NSBB in patients with refractory ascites
  • TIPS - redefining candidates
• Sarcopenia and frailty. Exploring its relationship with further decompensation
• Concept of cirrhosis re-compensation

Session 4
VASCULAR LIVER DISORDERS

Part 1. Splanchnic Vein Thrombosis
Chairpersons: D. Valla (Clichy), S. Sarin (New Delhi)
Panelists: F. Turon (Barcelona), M. Barrufet (Barcelona), J.J. Kiladjian (Paris), A. Plessier (Clichy), M. Primignani (Milan), A. Baiges (Barcelona)

• Portal vein thrombosis. Anticoagulation vs Interventional radiology
• Staging of portal vein thrombosis. Recurrent thrombosis and prognostic factors for recurrence
• Myeloproliferative neoplasia and splanchnic vein thrombosis: Diagnosis and management

Part 2. Other issues in vascular liver disorders
Chairpersons: A. de Gottardi (Lugano), P.E. Rautou (Paris)
Panelists: S. Murad (Rotterdam), V. Paradis (Clichy), M. Senzolo (Padua), L. Tellez (Madrid)

• Anticoagulation (including DOACS) in cirrhotic and non-cirrhotic patients
• Portosinusoidal vascular disease/Idiopathic portal hypertension/noncirrhotic portal hypertension: refining diagnostic criteria including histological criteria
• Presentation of Consensus Statements (both part 1 and 2)