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Effects of tamoxifen on GH and IGF-I levels in acromegaly

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Abstract

Tamoxifen (TAM), a non steroid partially competitive antagonist to the estrogen receptors, has been reported to decrease plasma GH and IGF-I levels both in vitro and in vivo. These data prompted us to evaluate GH and IGF-I changes in acromegaly after acute and chronic TAM administration. Nineteen acromegalic patients (6 M, 13 F, aged 30–70 years) were studied in a prospective open study. Acute TAM test (20 mg po) did not induce any significant change in GH and IGF-I levels. Chronic TAM treatment (20 mg/day for a month and 40 mg/day for another month) induced a transient increase in GH levels (from 9 [3–139] µg/l [median, range] to 12 [3-188] µg/l, p=0.0025) and a persistent decrease in IGF-I levels (from 785 [500-1200] µg/l to 553 [209-1420] µg/l, p=0.0034). Individual IGF-I values decreased in 13 patients and reached the normal range in 4 of them. At TAM withdrawal hormonal levels increased up to pretreatment values. There was no correlation between GH and IGF-I changes and results were not influenced by age, sex or gonadal status. In this setting it is likely that the observed decrease in plasma IGF-I levels is dependent on TAM activity at the hepatic level.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Divisione di Endocrinologia, Ospedale Niguarda, Piazza, Ospedale Maggiore 3, 20162, Milano, Italy

    Renato Cozzi M.D., R. Attanasio, G. Oppizzi, P. Orlandi & D. Dallabonzana

  2. Unità di Endocrinologia, Spedali Civili, Brescia, Italy

    A. Giustina

  3. Dipartimento di Neurochirurgia, Istituto Neurologico C. Besta, Milano, Italy

    S. Lodrini

  4. Dipartimento di Biochimica, Ospedale Niguarda, Milano, Italy

    N. Da Re

Authors
  1. Renato Cozzi M.D.
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  2. R. Attanasio
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  3. G. Oppizzi
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  4. P. Orlandi
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  5. A. Giustina
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  6. S. Lodrini
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  7. N. Da Re
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  8. D. Dallabonzana
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Cozzi, R., Attanasio, R., Oppizzi, G. et al. Effects of tamoxifen on GH and IGF-I levels in acromegaly. J Endocrinol Invest 20, 445–451 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03348000

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03348000

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