Review: Somatostatin analogues reduce blood products used in acute bleeding esophageal varices but do not reduce mortality.

D a t a s o u r c e s Published and unpublished studies were identified by searching MEDLINE and the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register (last searched August 2001) with combinations and various forms of the terms somatostatin, octreotide, variceal, varices, bleed, hemorrhage, esophag, hematemesis, and melena; reviewing abstracts of conference proceedings and bibliographies of relevant studies; and contacting authors.