title: Thrombocytopenia associated with octreotide.
abstract: A 42-year-old woman with a history of hepatitis C-induced cirrhosis, gastrointestinal bleeding, and alcohol abuse presented to the hospital with hematemesis and melena. Based on our previous experience, octreotide (Sandostatin) therapy was started at 50 mg/hr and continued for 5 days. Platelet count on admission (122 x 10(9)/L) dropped immediately after octreotide therapy was started; upon discontinuation, platelet count began trending up from 72 x 10(9)/L. However, octreotide was not suspected at this point as the cause of thrombocytopenia. In a subsequent admission, octreotide was again administered with a resultant prompt decrease in platelet count. To our knowledge, this is only the second case report of octreotide-induced thrombocytopenia, and the first case of this adverse effect demonstrated by inadvertent rechallenge.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Pharmacy, University of Tennessee, Memphis 38163, USA.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Demirkan
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Fleckenstein
authors.forename: T H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Self
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005765:Gastrointestinal Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D006396:Hematemesis / Q000188:drug therapy; D006490:Hemostatics / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008551:Melena / Q000188:drug therapy; D015282:Octreotide / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010976:Platelet Count; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced*; D013997:Time Factors; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D005765:Gastrointestinal Agents; D006490:Hemostatics; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents; D015282:Octreotide