Octreotide prevents postprandial splanchnic hyperemia in patients with portal hypertension

doi:10.1016/S0168-8278(94)80142-8

Journal of Hepatology

Volume 21, Issue 1, 1994, Pages 88-94

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0168-8278(94)80142-8 Get rights and content

An increase in splanchnic blood flow is a physiological response to food intake. In patients with cirrhosis whose hepatic vascular resistance is already high, this increase in flow leads to marked increases in portal pressure. This study investigates whether octreotide prevents the increases in hepatic flow and portal pressure that follow the ingestion of a meal in patients with cirrhosis. Twenty-two patients with cirrhosis and portal hypertension were randomized to receive a mixed liquid meal (520 kcal) plus a single subcutaneous injection of either placebo or octreotide (200 μg). In the placebo group the ingestion of a meal was followed by an increase in the hepatic venous pressure gradient (+19.4±4.3%, p<0.01) and hepatic blood flow (+38.2±14.6%, p<0.05) at 30 min. In contrast, in the octreotide group eating caused no significant change in the hepatic venous pressure gradient (−2.8±3.6%, NS), while hepatic flow was decreased (−6.08±5.4%, p<0.05). Octreotide blunted the postprandial increase in serum insulin and glucagon levels observed in the placebo group. In conclusion, in patients with cirrhosis and portal hypertension, octreotide prevents the postprandial increase in hepatic blood flow, and consequently also in portal pressure. These findings suggest that this drug could play a role in the long-term management of portal hypertension.

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Regular PaperOctreotide prevents postprandial splanchnic hyperemia in patients with portal hypertension

Gastroenterology

Gastroenterology

Gastroenterology

Gastroenterology

J Hepatol

Gastroenterology

Gastroenterology

Gastroenterology

Indocyanine green clearance and estimated hepatic blood flow during mild to maximal exercise in upright man

J Clin Invest

The electromagnetic measurement of liver blood flow and cardiac output in conscious dogs during feeding and exercise

Surgery

Physiological and pharmacological variability in estimated hepatic blood flow in man

Br J Clin Pharmacol

The effect of oral feeding of meat and glucose on hepatic vein wedge pressure in normal and cirrhotic subjects

J Lab Clin Med

Postprandial hemodynamic responses in patients with cirrhosis

Hepatology

The effect of oral protein and glucose feeding on splanchnic blood flow and oxygen utilization in normal and cirrhotic subjects

J Clin Invest

Evaluation of postprandial hyperemia in superior mesenteric artery and portal vein in healthy and cirrhotic humans: an operator-blind echo-Doppler study

Hepatology

Regular Paper
Octreotide prevents postprandial splanchnic hyperemia in patients with portal hypertension