Evalutation of Corticosteroid and Octreotide in the Prevention of Post-ERCP Pancreatitis

Pancreatitis is the most common and serious complication of diagnostic and therapeutic ERCP. On the basis of several reports, corticostroid or octreotide might be effective in this regard. The aim of this study was to determine whether the pharmacologic agents(stroid and octreotide) prevent post-ERCP pancreatitis.

Patients received an intravenous infusion of hydrcortisone(100mg) and octreotide (0.2mg bolus) in treated group Tmmediately before endoscopy. A total of 140 patients(73men and 67 women, with an average age of 61.5 yr) who were scheduled to undergo diagnostic or therapeutic ERCP. Nine patients were excluded from the final evaluation for incomplete records. The remaining 131 patients, 61 in the treated group and 70 in the control group, were analyzed.

The overall frequency of hyperamylasmia and pancreatitis were 33.6%(44/131) and 7.6%(10/131), respectively. The all pancreatitis were mild. There was no difference between the groups with the incidence and severity of pancreatitis. The procedure-induced pancreatitis occured in 5 of 61(8.2%) patients treated with hydrocortisone and octreotide and 5 of 70(7.2%) patients in the control group(p=ns). the groups were similar with regard to desmographic characteristics, type of procedure performed(diagnostic or therapeutic), the presence of diverticulum, visualization of pancreatic duct. The only risk factor of ERCP-pancreatitis is the visualization of pancreatic duct in both groups.

Prophylactic administered corticosteroid and octreotide did not prevent of post-ERCP pancreatitis. Pancreatic injury may be only related to maneuver of pancreatic duct.