Liver cirrhosis is a chronic disease characterized by a large burden of complications such as ascites, bacterial peritonitis syndrome, bleeding for rupture of esophageal varices, encephalopathy, hepatic failure and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). As a consequence a subject affected by this disease requires frequent admission to the hospital, causing a remarkable impact on the national health system resources. Over the last few decades the prevention and management of liver cirrhosis complications have greatly improved, thanks to the large use of non selective beta blockers [1], large volume paracentesis (LVP) with albumin infusion [2], endoscopic band ligation of esophageal varices [3], and the availability of effective drugs for chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) and chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections [4–5].
