Document Detail


A prospective randomized controlled clinical trial comparing the effects of somatostatin and vasopressin for control of acute variceal bleeding in the patients with liver cirrhosis.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  14619385     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
BACKGROUND: Acute variceal bleeding is a serious complication of liver cirrhosis, which has an attendant mortality of approximately 60% over two years, and a variety of treatments, such as balloon tamponade, endoscopic varix ligation, sclerotherapy, histoacryl injection and vasoactive drugs, have been used. The aims of the present trial were to compare the effectiveness and complications of somatostatin and vasopressin in the treatment of acute variceal bleeding. METHODS: Forty-three cirrhotic patients, with endoscopically proven acute variceal bleeding, were included in this trial. Both drugs were given as continuous intravenous infusions for 48 hours. Twenty patients received the somatostatin (250 mcg per hr after a bolus of 50 mcg) and twenty-three the vasopressin (0.4 units per min). RESULTS: There were no significant differences between the two groups in relation to age, sex, etiology of cirrhosis, Child-Pugh classification, characteristics of bleeding episode, laboratory findings before randomization and units of transfused blood during therapy. Rebleeding, within 6 hours after beginning of therapy, was regarded as failure to control initial bleeding, and was observed in 3 (13.0%) of the patients who received vasopressin and in 1 (5.0%) treated with somatostatin (p > 0.05). Five patients in both the somatostatin (25.0%) and vasopressin (21.7%) groups rebled during the first 5 days following the initial therapy (p > 0.05). Meaningful complications related to the use of vasopressin were observed in 5 patients (chest pain or abdominal pain requiring nitroglycerin), but no complications were associated with the use of somatostatin (p < 0.05). The mortalities during hospitalization were similar in both the treatment groups. Two of the vasopressin and 1 of the somatostatin group died due to the uncontrolled rebleeding, and 1 of the vasopressin group died due to hepatic failure (2 weeks later after therapy). CONCLUSION: This study showed no differences in the effectiveness of somatostatin and vasopressin, but the somatostatin group had a lower risk of the complications.
Authors:
Heon Young Lee; Heon Ju Lee; Seung Min Lee; Jun Hwan Kim; Soon Wook Kweon; Byung Seok Lee; Nam Jae Kim
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Clinical Trial; Comparative Study; Journal Article; Randomized Controlled Trial    
Journal Detail:
Title:  The Korean journal of internal medicine     Volume:  18     ISSN:  1226-3303     ISO Abbreviation:  Korean J. Intern. Med.     Publication Date:  2003 Sep 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2003-11-17     Completed Date:  2004-01-05     Revised Date:  2006-11-15    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  8712418     Medline TA:  Korean J Intern Med     Country:  Korea (South)    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  161-6     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Department of Internal Medicine, Chungnam National University College of Medicine, Daejeon, Korea. leehy@hanbat.chungnam.ac.kr
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Esophageal and Gastric Varices / drug therapy*,  etiology
Female
Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / drug therapy*,  etiology
Hemostatics / administration & dosage*,  adverse effects
Humans
Infusions, Intravenous
Liver Cirrhosis / complications*,  mortality,  therapy
Male
Middle Aged
Prospective Studies
Somatostatin / administration & dosage*,  adverse effects
Treatment Outcome
Vasopressins / administration & dosage*,  adverse effects
Chemical
Reg. No./Substance:
0/Hemostatics; 11000-17-2/Vasopressins; 51110-01-1/Somatostatin

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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