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BROMOCRIPTINE TREATMENT OF PATIENTS WITH ACROMEGALY RESISTANT TO CONVENTIONAL THERAPY
Author(s) -
PELKONEN R.,
YLIKAHRI R.,
KARONEN S.L.
Publication year - 1980
Publication title -
clinical endocrinology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.055
H-Index - 147
eISSN - 1365-2265
pISSN - 0300-0664
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2265.1980.tb02703.x
Subject(s) - bromocriptine , acromegaly , medicine , endocrinology , insulin , diabetes mellitus , prolactin , growth hormone , hormone
Eleven patients with active acromegaly resistant to conventional therapy were treated with bromocriptine for 15 (12–22) months by increasing the daily dose stepwise from 5 to 10–60 mg. A satisfactory response was achieved in all but one of the eight patients, in whom the mean diurnal level of serum GH was less than 50 ng/ml, whereas patients with grossly elevated serum GH levels responded poorly. In the longterm, no overall effects on glucose tolerance or plasma insulin (IRI) levels were observed but the chemical diabetes of three patients ameliorated in two. On the other hand, a dose‐dependent acute suppressive effect of bromocriptine on plasma IRI response to oral glucose was observed, suggesting a direct effect of bromocriptine on the release of insulin from beta cells. Bromocriptine seems to be a good alternative in the treatment of patients with acromegaly who have not responded to conventional therapy.