Clinical endocrinology
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Clinical endocrinology · Jun 2005
The nadir growth hormone after an octreotide test dose predicts the long-term efficacy of somatostatin analogue therapy in acromegaly.
In the treatment of acromegaly, a 'test dose' of octreotide is recommended prior to the use of depot somatostatin analogue (SSA) therapy. However, there remains no consensus regarding the criteria that predict a response to treatment. The ability to select patients who may benefit most from medical therapy is potentially of great value in clinical practice. The aim of the study was to determine the predictive value of both the nadir GH and the mean GH following an octreotide test dose in identifying patients who subsequently achieved disease remission with depot SSA therapy. Remission was defined as a mean GH < 5 mU/l (< 2 microg/l). ⋯ The nadir GH following an octreotide test dose is a useful predictive marker of achieving disease remission with depot SSA therapy used as either a primary or an adjuvant agent.