SHORT-TERM EFFECT OF OCTREOTIDE ON INTRAESOPHAGEAL VARICEAL PRESSURE - A DOUBLE-BLIND PLACEBO-CONTROLLED STUDY

Objective: To perform a double-blind placebo-controlled study to evalu ate the effect of 100 or 200 mug intravenous bolus doses of octreotide on intraoesophageal variceal pressure (IOVP) in cirrhotic patients. P articipants: Eighteen patients with liver cirrhosis and previous varic eal bleeding attending the Gastroenterology Unit at the University of Milan, Milan, Italy. Methods: IOVP was measured by a sclerotherapy nee dle; a second tracing from the oesophageal lumen was obtained to const antly express IOVP as transmural pressure. Eighteen patients were rand omly allocated placebo or octreotide; three patients had IOVP measured twice, for a total of 21 tracings. The recording was continued for 5 min. Results: Basal IOVP in the three groups was not significantly dif ferent. After octreotide 100 or 200 mug, IOVP increased within 40 sec in all patients (37.7 and 38.5%, respectively) and remained persistent ly elevated over the 5-min recording in most of the patients. Placebo injection had no effect. Conclusion: The use of an intravenous octreot ide bolus injection is not appropriate as a first-line therapy for var iceal haemorrhage.