Endocrine Abstracts

Background and aims: The long-acting somatostatin analogs represent are nowadays the first-line medical treatment of acromegaly. To assess the efficacy and tolerability of lanreotide-SR (LSR) in the treatment of active acromegaly.

Subjects and methods: Eleven patients (2 men and 9 women; aged 27–75 years, median 47.4 years) were treated in whom active acromegaly with during disease from 1 to 34 years. All patients had the macroadenoma of hypophysis including six patients with relapse of adenoma. Patients were treated for a median period of 12 weeks with i.m. injections of lanreotide SR 30 mg given every 14 days. Blood samples for GH, IGF-1 measurements were taken in fasting state. Mean GH and IGF-I levels were measured at baseline and every 4-weeks together with symptom score assessment.

Results: Eleven patients were treated for at least 12-weeks and, in these, GH levels fell from 40.55±25.69 ng/l (Me 33.17) at baseline to 17.52±11.58 ng/l (Me 4.6) (t=2.71; P=0.013) and IGF-I levels from 563.87±157.35 ng/l (Me 582.62) to 380.4±202.74 ng/l (Me 418.0) (t=2.37; P=0.02). GH response to treatment was better in elderly patients (age 58.00±1.58) compared to younger patients but neither sex, pre-treatment GH levels, previous surgery nor previous radiotherapy influenced the response. Treatment resulted in a significant improvement in the symptoms of active acromegaly in the majority of patients. Treatment was well-tolerated by the majority of patients, side effects were mainly transient gastrointestinal symptoms. There were minor effects on glucose tolerance which were not of clinical importance. There were minor effects on glucose tolerance which were not of clinical importance. During treatment LSR one patient give up insulinotherapy, indemnification of carbohydrate exchange was attained on a diet.

Conclusion: The treatment of acromegaly with lanreotide SR is effective in controlling GH and IGF-I levels and symptoms and is well tolerated in the majority of patients.