title: Effects of somatostatin analog on splanchnic hemodynamics and plasma glucagon level in portal hypertensive rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effects of somatostatin analog on splanchnic hemodynamics and plasma glucagon level in portal hypertensive rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-eight male Sprague-Dawley rats were equally divided into a intrahepatic portal hypertension (IHPH) model group (n = 14, established by injection of CCl4) and a prehepatic portal hypertension (PHPH) model group (n = 14, established by stenosis of the portal vein). Animals in each group were subdivided into an octreotide treatment (injection) group and a control (normal saline injection) group. Seven age-matched unmodeled/untreated normal rats served as controls. The mean systemic arterial pressure (MSAP) and free portal venous pressure (FPP) were measured. The splanchnic blood flow was detected by injection of toad blood red cell labelled with (51)Cr and (125)I·T3. The concentration of plasma glucagon was determined by radioimmunoassay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All rats with portal hypertension showed significantly decreased splanchnic blood flow and FPP in response to octreotide treatment, as well as markedly increased splanchnic vascular and portal venous resistance. The octreotide treatment did not appear to significantly lower the plasma glucagon levels in either the peripheral or the portal veins.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Octreotide induces a decrease in splanchnic blood flow in rats with portal hypertension, and this effect results primarily from direct vasoconstriction and to a lesser extent from decreased plasma glucagon level.
authors.affiliation: Zhi-Yong Wu, Xiao-Jie Zhao, Zhe Jiao, Zhi-Ping Chen, Yao-Ling Kuang, Department of Surgery, Renji Hospital Shanghai Second Medical University, Shanghai 200001, China.
authors.forename: Z Y
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Zhi-Yong Wu, Xiao-Jie Zhao, Zhe Jiao, Zhi-Ping Chen, Yao-Ling Kuang, Department of Surgery, Renji Hospital Shanghai Second Medical University, Shanghai 200001, China.
authors.forename: X J
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Zhi-Yong Wu, Xiao-Jie Zhao, Zhe Jiao, Zhi-Ping Chen, Yao-Ling Kuang, Department of Surgery, Renji Hospital Shanghai Second Medical University, Shanghai 200001, China.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Jiao
authors.affiliation: Zhi-Yong Wu, Xiao-Jie Zhao, Zhe Jiao, Zhi-Ping Chen, Yao-Ling Kuang, Department of Surgery, Renji Hospital Shanghai Second Medical University, Shanghai 200001, China.
authors.forename: Z P
authors.initials: ZP
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Zhi-Yong Wu, Xiao-Jie Zhao, Zhe Jiao, Zhi-Ping Chen, Yao-Ling Kuang, Department of Surgery, Renji Hospital Shanghai Second Medical University, Shanghai 200001, China.
authors.forename: Y L
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Kuang
keywords: Glucagon; Octreotide; Portal hypertension; Somatostatin analog; Splanchnic hemodynamics