Does somatostatin analogue prevent experimental acute pancreatitis?
K. M. Murayama, J. B. Drew and R. J. Joehl
Surgical Service, Veterans Affairs Lakeside Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60611.
Because somatostatin is a potent inhibitor of pancreatic secretion, we
hypothesized that pretreatment with somatostatin analogue octreotide (SMS
201-995) might prevent cerulein-induced edematous pancreatitis. We studied
18 rats prepared with jugular vein catheters. The following agents were
administered intravenously to groups of four rats for 6 hours: 1 mL/h
(control) crystalloid solution; 1-microgram/kg bolus then 1 microgram/kg
per hour of octreotide; and 5 micrograms/kg per hour of cerulein; also, in
a fourth group of six rats, octreotide and cerulein were administered
simultaneously. At the end of experiments, blood was drawn for plasma
amylase determinations; rats were killed and pancreata were examined.
Supramaximal cerulein administration to conscious rats induced
hyperamylasemia and edematous pancreatitis, confirming previous
observations; in both groups of rats receiving cerulein, there was
prominent interstitial edema, acinar vacuolization, and mild-to-moderate
acute inflammation. While octreotide pretreatment of rats with
cerulein-induced acute pancreatitis was associated with a lesser increase
of wet pancreas weight and plasma amylase concentration, there was little
overall benefit of octreotide pretreatment in this form of experimental
acute pancreatitis.
