Objective To study the effects of serum somatostatin concentraton on portal pressure in patients with portal hypertensioa
Methods The changes of portal pressure in 14 patients with portal
hypertension had been evaluated for 24 hours by direct measurement of portal pressure through a catheter placed in portal vein when somatostatin(250 ng/h)or octreotide(50 ng/h)was infused intravenously by means of a micro-infusion pump. The serum concentration of somatostatin, Glu, NO and EF-1 were determined when portal pressure was measured. Results Serum concentration of somatostatin was increased and portal pressure was decreased significantly after intravenous infusion of somatostatin or octreotide. The serum concentration of
somatostain in patients with the infusion of somatostain was higher than that in patients with octreotide. The decrease of portal pressure in patients with somatostain was more than that in patients with octreotide. There was a liner correlation between the concentration of somatostain and portal pressure in patients with the infusion of somatostain. The decrease of Glu concentration and no changes of NO,ET-1 occurred in patients with the infusion of somatostain and octreotide. Conclusion The high concentration of somatostain can be maintained by intravenous infusion of somatostatin or octreotide. Although the serum concentration of somatostain in patients with the infusion of somatostain was higher than that in patients with octreotide , the decrease of portal pressure in patients with somatostain was more than that in patients with octreotide.