DIFFERENTIAL REGIONAL EFFECTS OF OCTREOTIDE ON HUMAN GASTROINTESTINALMOTOR FUNCTION

The effects of octreotide on regional motor function in the human gut are unclear. In a randomised, blinded study the effects of octreotide (50 mu g, subcutaneously, three times daily) and placebo on gastric, s mall bowel, and colonic transit, and colonic motility and tone were as sessed in 12 healthy volunteers whose colon had been cleansed. Octreot ide accelerated initial gastric emptying (p=0.05), inhibited small bow el transit (p<0.01), and reduced ileocolonic bolus transfers (p<0.05). Colonic transit was unaltered by octreotide; the postprandial colonic tonic response was inhibited (p<0.05 v placebo), whereas colonic phas ic pressure activity was increased by octreotide (p<0.05 v placebo). T hese data support the use of octreotide in diarrhoeal states but not i n diseases that cause small bowel stasis and bacterial overgrowth. Sim ultaneous measurements of colonic transit, tone, and phasic contractil ity are valid in studying the effects of pharmacological changes and m ay be applicable to the study of the human colon in health and disease .