title: Effective and lasting growth-hormone suppression in active acromegaly with oral administration of somatostatin analogue SMS 201-995.
abstract: Oral administration of the long-acting somatostatin analogue, SMS 201-995 (Sandoz), was assessed in five patients with active acromegaly, four of whom had not responded to pituitary irradiation. Doses of 4-8 mg three times daily lowered mean 24 h growth-hormone concentrations by over 50% in every case, with suppression to below 10 mU/l for several hours after the morning dose. Despite effective suppression of serum insulin levels, deterioration in glucose tolerance was very slight, and the drug had no side-effects. Orally administered SMS 201-995 avoids the need for multiple daily injections and is potentially valuable in the medical treatment of acromegaly.
mesh_terms: D000172:Acromegaly / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D005260:Female; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015282:Octreotide; D013004:Somatostatin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin; D013004:Somatostatin; D013006:Growth Hormone; D015282:Octreotide