EFFICACY OF OCTREOTIDE ACETATE ON ACROMEGALIC PATIENTS

Feryal H. Rada (Ph.D. Clinical Therapeutic and Biochemistry)

ABSTRACT

Sandostatin® (octreotide acetate) exerts pharmacologic actions similar to the natural hormone, somatostatin. It is an even more potent inhibitor of growth hormone, glucagon, and insulin than somatostatin. This study was directed to monitor the impact of long acting Octreotide (Sandostatin LAR) after multiple injections on growth hormone levels of acromegalic patients. Ten acromegalic patients aged (30-35) years, (8 males, 2 females) admitted to clinic of endocrinology in Al yarmook hospital were enrolled in this study. IM Sandostatin LAR monthly for 3 months intervals were used. measurement of growth hormone level were performed at the baseline(before treatment), after the initiation and at the end of the study. The results of this study showed that Growth hormone level was dropped from 20.5 μg/L (±8.2) before treatment to 15.4 μg/L (±7.3) after 24 hours treatment and to 5.6 μg/L (±3.2) after 3 months treatment with Sandostatin LAR injection. On conclusion, measuring of growth hormone level after multiple injections of Sandostatin LAR is a useful method for prediction of patients response to the drug.

Keywords: Sandostatin LAR, Growth hormone, acromegaly.