trial of octreotide in recurrent variceal bleeding
Last reviewed 01/2018
32 patients with biopsy-proven hepatic cirrhosis and a first variceal bleed were randomised to sclerotherapy alone or sclerotherapy plus six months of octreotide therapy.
The patients and clinicians were not blinded.
The main outcomes reported were:
- frequency of rebleeding:
- during the 6 months of the trial the number of patients who rebled was:
- 1/16 in the combined octreotide/sclerotherapy group
- 7/16 in the sclerotherapy alone group
- p=0.037
- mortality:
- during the 6 months the mortality rate was:
- 0/16 in the combined octreotide/sclerotherapy group
- 5/16 in the sclerotherapy alone group
- p<0.02
- change in portal pressure:
- during the 6 months the change in portal pressure was:
- -6.0 mmHg in the combine treatment group
- +1.5 mmHg in the sclerotherapy alone group
Reference:
- Jenkins, SA. et al. (1997). Randomised trial of octreotide for long term management of cirrhosis after variceal haemorrhage. BMJ, 315, 1138-41.