Abstract
We report experiences in 3 patients with acromegaly while using the somatostatin analogue octreotide
In case 1, a 44 year old male developed pneumococcal meningitis 3 months after having transphenoidal surgery for a pituitary tumour. This occurred with the re-emergence of communication between the surgical tract and the C.S.F.
In case 2 a 52 year old male with insulin resistant diabetes mellitus requiring 240 units/day, with greatly elevated growth hormone concentrations was able to stop insulin within 5 days of starting octreotide.
In case 3, a 52 year old male with sleep apnoea syndrome, respiratory failure and resitant heart failure made a dramatic improvement which is maintained 2 years later.
All cases were associated with substantial falls in growth hormone and insulin like growth factor-1 concentrations.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Melmed, S. Acromegaly. N. Engl. J. Med. 1990: 322, 966- 977.
Vance, M. L., Harris, A. G. Longterm treatment of 189 acromegalic patients with somatostatin analogue octreotide. Arch Intern. Med. 1991: 151, 1573–78.
Frohman, L. A. Clinical Review 22: Therapeutic options in acromegaly. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 1991: 72, 1175–81.
Sarolas, G., Harris, A. G., Deidier, J.French SMS 201- 995 Acromegaly study group. Longterm effect of incremental doses of the somatostatin analogue SMS 201-955 in 58 acromegalic patients. J. Clin. Endoc. Metab. 1990: 71. 391- 397.
Grandsden, W. R., Wickstead, M., Eykyn, S. J. Meningitis after transphenoidal excision of pituitary tumours. J. Laryngol. Otology 1988: 102, 33–36.
Ciric, I., Michael, M., Stafford, T., Lawson, L., Garces, R. Transphenoidal microsurgery of pituitary macroadenomas with longterm follow-up results. J. Neurosurg. 1983:59,395- 401.
Luft, R., Cerasi, E., Hamberger, C. A. Studies on the pathogenesis of diabetes in acromegaly. Acta endocrinol. 1976: 56, 593–607.
James, R. A., Moller, N., Chattergee, White, M., Kendall-Taylor, P. Carbohydrate tolerance and serum lipids in acromegaly before and during treatment with high dose octreotide. Diabetic Medicine 1991: 8, 517–523.
Korkegaard, C., Norgaard, K., Snorrgard, O., Beck, T., Larsen, M., Lund-Aandersen, H. Effect of one year continuous infusion of a somatostatin analogue, octreotide, on early retinopathy, metabolic control and thyroid function in type 1 (insulin dependent) diabetes mellitus. Acta Endocr. (Cophenh.) 1990: 122, 766–722.
Page, M. D., Millward, M. E., Taylor itet al. Longterm treatment of acromegaly with a longacting analogue of somatostatin, octreotide. Q. J. Med. 1990: 74, 189–201.
Lee, H. K., Suh, Ki, Koh, C. S.et al. Effects of SMS 201-995 in rapidly progressive diabetic retinopathy. Diab. Care 1988: 11, 441–443.
Trotman-Dickenson, B., Weetman, A. B., Hughes, J. M. B. Upper airway obstruction and pulmonary function in acromegaly: relationship to disease activity. Q. J. Med. 1991: 79, 527–538.
Esnault, S., Merceur, Keelan, V.et al. Longterm effects of SMS 201-995 in sleep apnoea associated with acromegaly. Neurophysiol. Clin. 1989: 19, 367–372.
Chanson, P., Timsit, J., Masquet, C.et al. Cardiovascular effects of the somatostatin analogue, in acromegaly. Ann. Intern. Med. 1990: 38, 409–413.
Chanson, P., Timsit, J., Masquet, C, Guillansseau, P. J., Warner, A., Lubetzki, J. Heart failure responding to octreotide in patients with acromegaly. Lancet ii, 1263–64.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
O’Hare, J.A., Abuaisha, F. & Cotter, T. Experiences with octreotide in acromegaly. I.J.M.S. 162, 40–42 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02942899
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02942899