Journal of pain and symptom management
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Dec 2016
ReviewSomatostatin analogues compared to placebo and other pharmacological agents in the management of symptoms of inoperable malignant bowel obstruction: a systematic review.
Somatostatin analogues are commonly used to relieve symptoms in malignant bowel obstruction (MBO) but are more expensive than other antisecretory agents. ⋯ There is low-level evidence of benefit with somatostatin analogues in the symptomatic treatment of MBO. However, high-level evidence from trials with low risk of bias found no benefit of somatostatin analogues for their primary outcome. There is debate regarding the clinically relevant study end point for symptom control in MBO and when it should be measured. The role of somatostatin analogues in this clinical situation requires further adequately powered, well-designed trials with agreed clinically important end points and measures.