The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism
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J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. · Sep 1995
Multicenter Study Clinical TrialSafety and efficacy of long-term octreotide therapy of acromegaly: results of a multicenter trial in 103 patients--a clinical research center study.
One hundred and three acromegalic patients from 14 medical centers were enrolled in this study to determine the efficacy and safety of the somatostatin analog, octreotide acetate, during long term treatment. Seventy percent of the patients had undergone previous surgery or radiation treatment. Octreotide was initiated at a dose of 100 micrograms, sc, every 8 h and gradually increased to a maximum of 1500 micrograms daily depending upon the individual patient's clinical and biochemical response [GH and insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) reduction]. ⋯ Gallstone formation was not related to the dose of octreotide. Most patients with cholelithiasis were asymptomatic, and none developed cholecystitis. These observations suggest that octreotide is a valuable long term medical treatment for acromegaly.