Systematic review and meta-analysis of the role of somatostatin and its analogues in the treatment of enterocutaneous fistula

Somatostatin analogues may help pancreatic fistula although it remains unclear whether they help nonpancreatic fistula. This study involved meta-analysis of somatostatin analogues for treatment of enterocutaneous fistula.Meta-analysis of studies was undertaken, to estimate the effect of somatostatin analogues on spontaneous closure, time to closure and mortality.Results showed significant associations between somatostatin and both spontaneous closure rate [odds ratio (OR) 6.61, 95% (CI) confidence interval 1.35-32.43] and time to closure (standardized mean difference -0.80, 95% CI: -1.34 to -0.26). Octreotide reduced closure time (standardized mean difference -0.57, 95% CI: -0.95 to -0.20) but not spontaneous closure (OR: 1.74, 95% CI: 0.64-4.76). Lanreotide also improved time to closure (mean of 17 days vs. 26 days, standard deviation not stated) but not spontaneous closure (OR: 0.94, 95% CI: 0.42-2.12). Somatostatin, octreotide and lanreotide did not significantly affect mortality (OR: 0.30, 0.82, and 0.48; 95% CI: 0.03-3.47, 0.38-1.78, and 0.04-5.07 respectively).Somatostatin and octreotide improved fistula closure time but only somatostatin improved spontaneous closure rate.