Resource analysis of somatostatin in the treatment of bleeding esophageal varices.

Association of vasoactive drugs such as somatostatin improves the therapeutic outcome of emergency sclerotherapy in case of a variceal bleeding. Systematic use of combination therapy will increase treatment costs in the initial period, but since it has the potential to reduce the need for rescue treatment and to reduce bleeding-related complications, it might save costs overall. A recent resource analysis performed in a small group of patients in our unit provides evidence for this hypothesis. Nevertheless, further research should better clarify which parameters justify combination of different treatment modalities for variceal bleeding.