EFFECTS OF BOLUS INJECTIONS AND CONTINUOUS INFUSIONS OF SOMATOSTATIN AND PLACEBO IN PATIENTS WITH CIRRHOSIS - A DOUBLE-BLIND HEMODYNAMIC INVESTIGATION

The present double-blind study was aimed at investigating the hemodynamic and humoral effects of somatostatin or placebo in patients with cirrhosis. Patients were randomly assigned to receive either an injection of 250 mu g of somatostatin followed by a constant infusion of somatostatin at 250 mu g/h (n = 13), an injection of 250 mu g of somatostatin followed by a 500 mu g/h continuous infusion (n = 10), or an injection of placebo followed by a placebo infusion (n = 9). Placebo had no effect. Somato statin bolus markedly decreased the hepatic venous pressure gradient: by 52% at 1 minute; P < .001; 19% at 3 minutes, P < .01; and by 13% at 5 minutes, P < .04. Azygos blood flow decreased similarly by 45% at 1 minute, P < .001; 16% at 3 minutes, P < .02; and 9.5% at 5 minutes, P = .05. Mean arterial pressure increased by 25% (P < .001). Continuous somatostatin infusions (250 or 500 mu g/h) had no systemic effects, but significantly reduced hepatic venous pressure gradient (250 mu g/h: -6.1%, P < .05 and 500 mu g/h: -15%, P < .01) and hepatic blood flow (250 mu g/h: -10%, 500 mu g/h: -18%, P < .05). Azygos blood flow was not changed after 250 mu g/h infusion but was reduced after 500 mu g/h (-23%, P < .02). Somatostatin but not placebo, suppressed glucagon to normal levels. This study shows that a bolus injection of somatostatin caused an immediate and marked decrease of hepatic venous pressure gradient and azygos blood flow. Continuous infusion of somatostatin had a mild but sustained effect on splanchnic hemodynamics; this effect was more pronounced with the higher dose.