title: Lack of pharmacological effect of subcutaneous octreotide in an insulin-dependent diabetic patient: reversal after mixing with aprotinin.
abstract: Octreotide, a synthetic analogue of somatostatin, may improve metabolic control and reduce GH and glucagon levels in insulin-dependent diabetic patients. We report hereto the case of an insulin-dependent diabetic patient in whom the subcutaneous continuous infusion of octreotide (150 micrograms/daily for six days) resulted ineffective on blood glucose levels, GH and glucagon. However, when octreotide was administered mixed together with aprotinin-an inhibitory of proteolytic enzymes (10,000 I.U. daily), it had lowering effect on blood glucose levels, GH and glucagon. We suggest the possibility that a local subcutaneous enzymatic degradation of octreotide may have occurred and that this degradation was blocked by aprotinin.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Medicina Interna, Malattie Endocrine e del Metabolismo, University of Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lunetta
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Di Mauro
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Le Moli
mesh_terms: D007611:Aprotinin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005934:Glucagon / Q000097:blood; D006728:Hormones / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015282:Octreotide / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011480:Protease Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D006728:Hormones; D011480:Protease Inhibitors; D019382:Human Growth Hormone; D005934:Glucagon; D007611:Aprotinin; D015282:Octreotide