Sclerotherapy plus octreotide versus sclerotherapy alone in the prevention of early rebleeding from esophageal varices: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter trial

✍ Scribed by Massimo Pkimignani; Bruno Andreoni; Luca Carpinelli; Alfonso Capria; Gabriele Rocchi; Ivano Lorenzini; Carlo Staudacher; Luigi Beretta; Roberta Motta; Prof. Roberto DeFranchis

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1995
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 659 KB
• Volume: 21
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0270-9139
• DOI: 10.1002/hep.1840210516

✦ Synopsis

Because of its ability to decrease portal pressure, azygos blood flow, and postprandial splanchnic hyperemia, octreotide administration could be effective in reducing early rebleeding in patients undergoing endoscopic variceal sclerotherapy (EVS). We report the results of a trial comparing EVS + octreotide versus EVS alone. Consecutive patients with cirrhosis and endoscopically proven variceal hemorrhage were considered eligible for the trial if hemodynamically stable for at least 24 hours after bleeding stopped. Patients with advanced liver cancer or having received EVS treatment in the past were not enrolled. After enrollment patients were submitted to EVS (day 1); all patients were randomized to receive octreotide, 100 pg three times a day subcutaneously, or an identical placebo, up to day 29; EVS was repeated at days 8, 15, and 29. Fifty-eight patients were randomized to receive either EVS + octreotide (n = 26) or EVS alone (n = 32). The two groups were evenly balanced for sex, age, Child-Pugh class, history of previous bleeding, endoscopic appearance of varices, or treat-Abbreviation: EVS, endoscopic variceal sclerotherapy.