[News] The Liver Meeting 2025

Primary antibiotic prophylaxis for spontaneous bacterial peritonitis in patients with cirrhosis and ascites does not improve overall survival, according to the ASCEPTIC trial, presented by Alastair O’Brien (London, UK). In this multicentre, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, patients with cirrhosis and ascites requiring diuretic treatment or paracentesis and with no history of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis were randomly assigned to receive co-trimoxazole (960 mg; n=219) or placebo (n=223) once a day for 18 months.