title: Desensitization treatment for hypersensitivity reaction to octreotide in an acromegalic patient.
abstract: Octreotide is widely used as medical therapy for acromegaly. It is known to markedly reduce growth hormone levels, improve symptoms and reduce tumor size. Common side effects include gastrointestinal symptoms, hepatobiliary disorders, dizziness, headaches, bradycardia, hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia and thyroid dysfunction. Although urticaria, allergy/hypersensitivity reactions and anaphylaxis have been noted as possible adverse reactions, there is a lack of data showing a causal relationship between octreotide and hypersensitivity reactions and there is no information on management when continued use of this medication is essential. We now report a case of a 60 year old male with acromegaly who had presented with a cutaneous hypersensitivity reaction to octreotide. In addition he failed treatment with surgery, radiation, and dopamine agonist and could no longer afford to continue treatment with pegvisomant. The patient underwent desensitization treatment for his octreotide allergy and was able to resume treatment without any further side effects. We believe this case represents the first report of successful desensitization treatment for octreotide allergy in an acromegalic patient.
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Nutrition, UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA. duvalsda@umdnj.edu
authors.forename: Daphne D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Dadzie
authors.forename: Esther J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Catherine A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Monteleone
authors.forename: Stephen H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Schneider
mesh_terms: D000172:Acromegaly / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D015282:Octreotide / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D015282:Octreotide