Objective: To assess the effect of two regimens of somatostatin on the
morbidity and short term outcome of acute pancreatitis in rats. Desig
n: Randomised laboratory study. Setting: Teaching hospital, France. An
imals: 24 male Wistar rats. Interventions: Rats were randomised to 3 g
roups of 8, 2 of which were given somatostatin (one 25 mu g/kg/hour by
continous infusion and one as a bolus injection of 5 mu g before the
infusion of 25 mu g/kg/hour); the third (control) group was given 0.9%
of saline 25 mu g/kg/hour. Acute pancreatitis was induced by ligating
the pancreatic duct at the junction with the duodenum. Main outcome m
easures: Serum amylase and lipase activities at 2 and 4 hours, and his
tological changes after 4 hours, at which time the animals were killed
and the pancreas removed. Results: Amylase and lipase activities were
significantly lower in the somatostatin groups than in the control gr
oup throughout the experiment (p < 0.001). They were slightly but not
significantly lower in the bolus group than the infusion group. The de
gree of necrosis and the extent of inflammatory infiltration were sign
ificantly less in the somatostatin groups (p < 0.008). Conclusion: Som
atostatin has an early favourable effect on the course of experimental
ly induced pancreatitis in rats.