Impact of octreotide on sodium level in cirrhotic inpatients with hyponatremia: a retrospective study.

OBJECTIVE: Octreotide could increase serum sodium in cirrhotics with hyponatremia by counteracting splanchnic vasodilation. Current supporting data is limited to case reports and series. The aim of the study is to assess the effect of octreotide on serum sodium in cirrhotic inpatients with hyponatremia compared with controls. METHODS: This is a retrospective study including adult inpatients with cirrhosis, admitted for ≥5 days with Na <133 at baseline. We excluded those receiving other vasoconstrictor infusions, hypertonic saline, tolvaptan or dialysis. Controls represented an equal number of inpatients with cirrhosis not receiving octreotide. Sodium changes on days 5, 7 and 10 were evaluated with multivariable adjustment. RESULTS: Each group consisted of 156 patients. The octreotide subjects had more cirrhosis complications. Baseline sodium was lower in the octreotide group, and their change in sodium at day 5 was higher (6.6 ± 5.6 vs. 3.5 ± 5.3; P < 0.001). Significant differences were also noted on days 7 and 10 (7.84 ± 6.76 vs. 4.33 ± 6.2 and 7.99 ± 6.72 vs. 5.2 ± 6.56, respectively). The impact of octreotide was lessened but remained significant ( P = 0.019) in a mixed model adjusting for baseline sodium, creatinine, requirement of paracentesis, midodrine, albumin and fresh frozen plasma. More octreotide patients achieved hyponatremia resolution (55.1% vs. 42.3%; P = 0.031), but significance was not preserved in multivariate logistic regression. CONCLUSION: Octreotide administration is associated with an increase in serum sodium among inpatient cirrhotics with hyponatremia, even after accounting for confounders. Prospective randomized controlled trials are warranted.

De Novo Development of Hamartomatous Duodenal Polyps in a Patient With Short Bowel Syndrome During Teduglutide Therapy: A Case Report.

Teduglutide (TG) is approved for the treatment of parenteral nutrition (PN)-dependent adult patients with short bowel syndrome (SBS). Its well-known adverse effect is expedited growth of colon polyps and potential formation of new polyps. Apart from animal studies, de novo development of duodenal polyps in a patient during TG therapy has not been reported in the literature. We report a case of a 71-year-old man with SBS on TG who developed multiple new duodenal polyps that were found incidentally during a diagnostic endoscopy. Furthermore, an accelerated growth of duodenal polyps was noted while on TG therapy, suggesting a potential trophic effect of TG on these polyps. There are no current recommendations for the surveillance of intestinal polyps in patients on TG therapy, but we recommend exercising caution and possible need for surveillance based on this case report.