Somatostatin in the treatment of severe gastrointestinal bleeding from peptic origin. A multicentric controlled trial.

Results of a multicentric controlled trial on the efficacy of somatostatin in the treatment of severe gastrointestinal bleeding from peptic origin is reported. The trial was carried out on 90 patients presenting with severe bleeding from hemorrhagic gastric disease in 20 cases, from gastric ulcer in 31 and from duodenal ulcer in 39. Diagnosis was ascertained by endoscopy. Fifty-three patients were treated with somatostatin; in 95% of cases the bleeding was controlled in an average time of 7h 37'. Thirty-seven patients were treated with H2 receptors antagonists and the bleeding was controlled in 76.3% of cases in an average time of 21h. Cases treated with somatostatin required a lower amount of blood transfusion (1 Unit/patient, against 2.7 Units). The better efficacy of somatostatin, at least on a temporary basis, in the control of severe upper gastrointestinal bleeding is underlined while keeping in mind that prevention of recurrence is still an open question.