Octreotide Added to a Proton Pump Inhibitor Versus a Proton Pump Inhibitor Alone in Nonvariceal Upper-Gastrointestinal Bleeds

Background: Literature indicating clinically relevant benefits of an adjunctive somatostatin analog to standard therapies in nonvariceal upper-gastrointestinal bleeding (NVUGIB) is lacking. Objective: The primary objective of this study was to find the association between outcomes in patients with NVUGIB treated with octreotide and a proton pump inhibitor (PPI; combination group) compared with those treated with a PPI alone. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of adults admitted within a 5-hospital health care system with a NVUGIB treated with a PPI continuous infusion with or without an octreotide infusion. Notable exclusion criteria included varices, history of cirrhosis without endoscopy, or active gastrointestinal cancer. The primary outcome was association of combination treatment versus PPI alone with hospital length of stay (LOS). Results: A total of 180 patients were included (combination group: n = 90; PPI: n = 90). In univariate analyses, the median hospital and intensive care unit (ICU) LOS in the combination group versus PPI was 6.1 versus 4.9 days (P = 0.25) and 2.3 versus 1.9 days (P = 0.24), and rebleeding and mortality occurred in 9% versus 12% (P = 0.63) and 6.7% versus 5.6% (P = 1.00) of patients. Median units of packed red blood cells in the combination therapy versus PPI group was 3 vs 2 units (P = 0.43). After propensity score adjustment in multivariable analyses, hospital and ICU LOS, rebleeding, and mortality all remained nonsignificant. Conclusion and Relevance: Our study observed no difference in clinical end points. This suggests that octreotide provides no additional major clinical benefit in NVUGIB, and PPI therapy alone may be sufficient.