Thyrotropin-releasing hormone in acute pancreatitis. A preliminary report

The effect of thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) in continuous infusion (a bolus of 400 micrograms followed by 200 micrograms/hour for 6 hours) was studied in 35 patients (17 TRH, 18 placebo) with acute pancreatitis in a double-blind investigation. Three hours after the start of infusion, significantly more patients were pain-free in the TRH group than in the placebo group, but not thereafter. TRH also significantly reduced the serum amylase and lipase levels, but did not influence the clinical course of pancreatitis.