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Efficacy and safety of 48 weeks of treatment with octreotide LAR in newly diagnosed acromegalic patients with macroadenomas: An open-label, multicenter, non-comparative study

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Abstract

The aim of the present multicentric, open-label, non-comparative study was to evaluate the role of octreotide long-acting repeatable (LAR) as primary therapy for the treatment of GH-secreting pituitary macroadenomas. The patients received octreotide LAR 20 mg every 4 weeks for 12 weeks; afterwards the dose was confirmed or adjusted at 30 mg every 4 weeks, for the remaining 12 weeks, for responder or non-responder patients, respectively. Responder patients continued the study until 48 weeks. Twenty-one naïve active acromegalic patients were enrolled. In all patients, GH profile, IGF-I levels and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were evaluated at baseline and during treatment. The ability of octreotide LAR to decrease mean GH <2.5 μg/l and/or normalize IGF-I levels, adjusted for age and gender, was defined respectively as total or partial success. Total success was achieved in 5/21 (23.8%), 6/20 (30%) and 4/14 (28.6%) patients after 12, 24 and 48 weeks; partial success in 7/21 (33.3%), 9/20 (45%) and 9/14 (64%) patients at 12, 24 and 48 weeks according to GH levels, while according to IGF-I levels in 7/21 (33.3%), 7/20 (35%) and 5/14 (35.7%) patients at 12, 24 and 48 week. Tumor size was notably decreased after treatment with octreotide LAR: in 16 macroadenoma patients completing the study, the tumor sizes were 1609±1288, 818±616 (49.1±23.7%) and 688±567 mm3 (54.6±24.4%) at baseline, 24 and 48 weeks. This study shows that oc-treotide LAR is effective in suppressing GH/IGF-I secretion and inducing tumor shrinkage in GH-secreting macroadenomas in a 48-week treatment. Octreotide LAR could be used as primary therapy in patients harbouring large pituitary tumors, who are less likely to be cured by neurosurgery.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Turin, Turin, Italy

    S. Grottoli, V. Gasco & F. Ragazzoni

  2. Division of Internal Medicine and Endocrinologic and Metabolic Sciences, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Perugia, Via Enrico dal Pozzo, 06126, Perugia, Italy

    R. Celleno & G. Angeletti

  3. Department of Endocrinology and Oncology, “Federico II” University of Naples, Naples, Italy

    R. Pivonello

  4. Department of Radiology, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy

    D. Caramella

  5. Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy

    A. Barreca

  6. University Hospital, Monserrato, Cagliari, Italy

    F. Pigliaru

  7. Novartis Pharma, Origgio, Italy

    D. Alberti & R. Ferrara

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  1. S. Grottoli
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  2. R. Celleno
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  3. V. Gasco
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  4. R. Pivonello
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  5. D. Caramella
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  6. A. Barreca
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  7. F. Ragazzoni
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  8. F. Pigliaru
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  9. D. Alberti
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  10. R. Ferrara
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  11. G. Angeletti
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Correspondence to G. Angeletti.

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Grottoli, S., Celleno, R., Gasco, V. et al. Efficacy and safety of 48 weeks of treatment with octreotide LAR in newly diagnosed acromegalic patients with macroadenomas: An open-label, multicenter, non-comparative study. J Endocrinol Invest 28, 978–983 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03345335

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