EVect of somatostatin on the sphincter of Oddi in patients with acute non-biliary pancreatitis

Background—Somatostatin has been used to prevent pancreatitis after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography but its eVect on acute non-biliary pancreatitis is still unclear. Aim—The purpose of this study was to evaluate the function of the sphincter of Oddi (SO) and the eVect of somatostatin on patients with non-biliary pancreatitis. Methods—Twenty patients (18 males, two females) with acute pancreatitis (alcoholic 18, idiopathic two) received SO manometry within one week after admission. After baseline measurement, a bolus dose of somatostatin (Stilamin, Serono) 250 μg was infused slowly, and SO manometry was repeated after five minutes. Continuous infusion of somatostatin 250 μg/h was given for 12 hours after SO manometry. Serum amylase, lipase, glucose, and C reactive protein (CRP) levels were examined before and after somatostatin infusion. Results—SO manometry was unsuccessful in six patients due to contracted sphincter. In the remaining 14 patients, high SO basal pressure (SOBP >40 mm Hg) was found in seven patients. After somatostatin infusion, mean SOBP decreased from 48.8 (29) to 31.9 (22) mm Hg (p<0.01). One patient had a paradoxical reaction to somatostatin (SOBP increased from 30 to 50 mm Hg) while the other 13 patients had a fall in SOBP after somatostatin. One patient developed abdominal pain with a serum amylase level of 2516 IU/l after SO manometry. No other side eVects or changes in amylase, lipase, glucose, or CRP levels were observed in the other 19 patients after SO manometry and somatostatin infusion. Discussion—Sphincter of Oddi dysfunction is common in patients with acute non-biliary pancreatitis and in most cases somatostatin can relax the sphincter. (Gut 2001;49:843–846)