Clinical presentations and results of therapy of 63 acromegalic patients Chang Gung Memorial Hospital.
Retrospective analysis of 63 acromegalic patients who received regular follow-up in Chang Gung Memorial Hospital is presented. Our purpose was to examine clinical characteristics of acromegalic patients and the results of combination therapy in this medical center. Fifty-one cases received operative treatment. Among them, 43 cases presented with extrasella involvement of the pituitary tumor. Postoperative external radiotherapy was performed in 20 cases. Thirteen cases received medical treatment with bromocriptine or octreotide. After surgery, growth hormone (GH) levels in 23 out of 51 cases (45.1%) were reduced to less than 5 ng/mL. In cases which received postoperative radiotherapy, mean GH level could be reduced gradually after the treatment. In the group treated with bromocriptine, the GH level was controlled in three of nine patients. In five of the six cases who received octreotide therapy. GH levels were maintained at less than 5 ng/mL. Although GH levels were reduced after octreotide treatment, the paradoxical response to the thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) stimulation test still persisted. The data presented in this study suggest that after combination therapy for acromegalic patients (most cases with pituitary macroadenoma), the serum GH levels in 90% cases could be maintained at less than 5 ng/mL.
Division of Endocrinology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
J D
JD
Lin
H S
HS
Huang
C N
CN
Chang
S T
ST
Lee
D000172:Acromegaly / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D000236:Adenoma / Q000150:complications; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood; D006728:Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015282:Octreotide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000150:complications; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D006728:Hormones; D013006:Growth Hormone; D015282:Octreotide