CURRENT TREATMENT GUIDELINES FOR ACROMEGALY

Citation
S. Melmed et al., CURRENT TREATMENT GUIDELINES FOR ACROMEGALY, The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism, 83(8), 1998, pp. 2646-2652
Citations number
82
Categorie Soggetti
Endocrynology & Metabolism
ISSN journal
0021972X
Volume
83
Issue
8
Year of publication
1998
Pages
2646 - 2652
Database
ISI
SICI code
0021-972X(1998)83:8<2646:CTGFA>2.0.ZU;2-M
Abstract
Acromegaly, an indolent disorder of growth hormone (GH) hypersecretion is most typically caused by a somatotroph cell adenoma and may be tre ated by several modalities. Transsphenoidal surgical resection of micr o-adenomas by experienced neurosurgeons results in biochemical normali zation (postglucose GH <2 ng/mL, assay-dependent, age- and sex-matched IGF-I levels) in 70% of patients. However, over 65% of GH-secreting a denomas are invasive or macroadenomas, and over 50% of these patients have persistent postoperative GH hypersecretion. Irradiation of adenom as results in attenuation of GH secretion to more than 5 ng/mL in 50% of subjects after 12 yr. However, the percent of parents who normalize IGF-I levels is less certain. Most of these patients develop associat ed pituitary failure and rarely develop other local adverse effects. A bout 60% of patients receiving somatostatin analogs achieve normalized IGF-I levels. Efficacy of medical management with somatostatin analog s may be improved by increasing injection frequency, changing delivery modes to depot preparations, and in the future, development of novel SRIF receptor subtype-specific analogs. An integrated approach to acro megaly management based upon relative risks and benefits of the curren tly available therapeutic modes is presented that allows for a nationa l individualized strategy designed to achieve maximal biochemical cont rol. of GH hypersecretion and elevated IGF-I levels.