Long-term treatment of acromegaly with bromocryptine: postprandial HGH levels and response to TRH and glucose administration.
Fourteen patients with acromegaly were treated with bromocryptine (CB 154, Sandoz), 4 X 2.5 mg, for periods of up to eleven months. One patient did not tolerate the drug, ten of the remaining thirteen experienced considerable clinical improvement. There was a dose-dependent suppression of plasma growth hormone levels, but growth hormone response to TRH injection and to glucose administration was still present during therapy although reduced. TSH response to TRH was not significantly altered. The suppressive power of bromocryptine on growth hormone appears to be related to the mechanism by which TRH stimulates growth hormone secretion in acromegaly, but long-term administration of this drug may be successful in spite of an absent response to TRH in some cases. Bromocryptine appears to be a safe and effective drug for the treatment of acromegaly.
D000172:Acromegaly / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000172:deficiency; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001971:Bromocriptine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004032:Diet; D004873:Ergolines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000172:deficiency; D005947:Glucose; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000172:deficiency; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000172:deficiency; D013973:Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone; D013997:Time Factors; D014667:Vasopressins / Q000172:deficiency
D004873:Ergolines; D014667:Vasopressins; D001971:Bromocriptine; D013973:Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; D013972:Thyrotropin; D013006:Growth Hormone; D005947:Glucose