Effects of Different Octreotide Dosages on Splanchnic Hemodynamics and Glucagon in Healthy Volunteers

• Published in: Digestion Vol. 60; no. 2; pp. 132 - 140
• Main Authors: Schiedermaier, P., Brensing, K.A., Göke, B., Schätzle, T., Sauerbruch, T.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel, Switzerland Karger 01.03.1999; S. Karger AG
• Subjects: Adult; Analysis of Variance; Biological and medical sciences; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Double-Blind Method; Female; General pharmacology; Glucagon - blood; Hemodynamics - drug effects; Hormones - administration & dosage; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Octreotide - administration & dosage; Original Paper: Hormones and Receptors; Pharmacokinetics. Pharmacogenetics. Drug-receptor interactions; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Radioimmunoassay; Splanchnic Circulation - drug effects; Ultrasonography, Doppler; Portal blood flow; Octreotide; Splanchnic blood flow; Glucagon; Doppler ultrasound; Dose effect; Sonography; Doppler ultrasound study; Human; Healthy subject; Experimental study; Assay; Chemotherapy; Upper mesenteric vessel; Blood vessel; Analog; Circulatory system; Biological effect; Hemodynamics; Somatostatin; Portal vein
• ISSN: 0012-2823; 1421-9867
• DOI: 10.1159/000007638

Aims: This study evaluated the dependence of portal and mesenteric blood flow and plasma glucagon levels on octreotide dosage and its mode of application. Methods: Two groups of 10 individuals each received octreotide either subcutaneously (placebo, 100 and 200 µg) or intravenously (100-µg bolus i.v., 25 and 100 µg/h) in a double-blind, random order. Using Doppler ultrasound, we examined portal and mesenteric blood flow and measured plasma glucagon levels at regular intervals within a 4-hour period under fasting conditions. Results: Contrary to placebo, octreotide caused a decrease in portal blood flow (PVF) and in superior mesenteric artery blood flow (SMAF) together with an increase in the mesenteric pulsatility index (PI). The same total dose of 100 µg octreotide caused a similar PVF response, averaged over 4 h, given either subcutaneously (–28.0 ± 4.8%), intravenously (–29.4 ± 4.3%) or as a continuous infusion (–29.3 ± 4.6%). As concerns intravenous infusions, 100 µg/h was more effective than 25 µg/h (–37.8 ± 6.2 vs. –29.3 ± 4.6%). The PVF reduction remained constant during intravenous infusion, whereas glucagon levels decreased progressively over the entire observation time. Conclusions: The decrease in PVF is dependent on the octreotide dose. However, this is not constantly paralleled by a decrease in plasma glucagon concentration.