Effect of Somatostatin on the Flow Rate and Triglyceride Levels of Thoracic Duct Lymph In Normal and Vagotomized Dogs

Abstract

The role of circulating somatostatin (SRIF) in triglyceride (TG) homeostasis was evaluated in fasting and postprandial lymph of the canine thoracic duct. Cyclic SRIF at a very low, near physiologic (50 ng/min), and pharmacologic (5 μg/min) doses was infused into the portal or the femoral vein, and lymph was collected every 10 min through a cannula inserted into the duct under neuroleptanalgesia. The intraportal (IP) and intrafemoral (IF) SRIF infusion, but not saline infusions, significantly and almost identically reduced the rates of fasting lymph flow to levels of 87% and 91% of the preinfusion values, respectively, at a dose of 50 ng/min, and to 78% and 80%, respectively, at both rates at a dose of 5 μg/min. The attenuating effect of the IP and IF SRIF infusions at both rates upon lymph flow was completely abolished by vagotomy at the diaphragmatic level. The flow rate, TG concentration, and TG content (flow × concentration) of lymph obtained 3 h after a fat- and protein-rich meal ingestion were significantly and almost identically reduced during the IP and IF SRIF infusions at 50 ng/min, but not during saline infusions. Greater attenuation of these parameters was observed with 5 μg/min infusions, regardless of the route of administration. These results indicate that SRIF in near physiologic as well as pharmacologic doses can inhibit lymph flow after traversing the liver in the presence of the vagus nerve. They suggest the the other splanchnic organs may have a physiologic influence upon TG entry from the gut through alterations of dynamics of the splanchnic lymph system.

Lymph, Pancreatic and Gastrointestinal Hormones in Response to Feeding in the Conscious Pig

“…An increase in lymph flow was ob served in the present study although this was not quantitated. It is notable that several of the gut hormones affect mesenteric blood flow and may thereby influence lymph flow [8,9,19,24,28], An increase in lymph flow has been demonstrated in response to secre tin, CCK and glucagon although a physiolog ical role for these peptides in control of blood flow has not been established [8,9,24,28], There have been few previous studies on the transport of the gastrointestinal hor mones in lymph. Several workers have re ported the presence of gastrin in lymph [5,18].…”

Use of Octreotide for the Management of Chyle Fistula Following Neck Dissection

“…Intravenous administration of somatostatin has been shown to reduce chyle flow by 91% in the thoracic duct in dogs. 16 Octreotide's advantage over somatostatin is that it does not require continuous intravenous infusion, but rather, use of subcutaneous injection can sustain long-lasting effects. At a mean wholesale cost of $9.48 for a 100-mcg dose, the daily cost per patient is $28.44 on the basis of the most common dosing of 100 mcg subcutaneously every 8 hours.…”

Posttraumatic Chyluria Due to Lymphorenal Fistula Regressed after Somatostatin Therapy

“…The severity of the clinical and radiological picture, the time relationship between the administration of the drug and the disappearance of chyluria and the well described hemodynamic effects on lymph flow of somatostatin [12] made us conclude that this drug had a relevant role in the clinical recovery of the patient.…”