title: Pioglitazone in acromegaly - an open-label, prospective study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Preclinical studies demonstrate that thiazolidinediones (TZDs) decrease growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) levels, suggesting that they might be effective treatments for acromegaly. This study investigated the effect of pioglitazone on biochemical indices of disease activity in acromegaly.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a 4-month open-label prospective study in 16 patients with active acromegaly who were attending public hospital endocrinology clinics.
  
  
  METHODS
  The intervention was pioglitazone 45 mg/day. The primary outcome was change in serum IGF-1; the secondary outcome was change in area under the curve of glucose-suppressed GH.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum IGF-1 did not change during treatment with pioglitazone (P = 0·95). After 4 months, the mean (95% CI) change from baseline was -1 μg/l (-51, 49). GH levels following oral glucose loading were unchanged during pioglitazone therapy. After 4 months, the mean (95% CI) change from baseline in area under curve for glucose-suppressed GH was 31 μg/l (-75, 138, P = 0·54).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Short-term treatment with conventional doses of pioglitazone did not improve biochemical measures of disease activity in acromegaly.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Auckland City Hospital, Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: David D W
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jovina
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Goh
authors.forename: Zaven
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Panossian
authors.forename: Greg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gamble
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Holdaway
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Grey
mesh_terms: D000172:Acromegaly / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000077205:Pioglitazone; D011446:Prospective Studies; D045162:Thiazolidinediones / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D045162:Thiazolidinediones; D019382:Human Growth Hormone; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D000077205:Pioglitazone