Sandostatin in Treatment of Acromegaly

Five patients with active acromegaly were treated with Sandostatin for 6 months. The dosage of Sandostatin was 450 to 1500ug daily and it was injected subcutaneouly in divided dose every 8 hours. After treatment the symptoms of headche and soft tissue swelling were improved. The mean serum GH level was reduced by more than 50% in 4 patients and remained unchanged in (?). Slight shrinkage of pituitary GH-secreting tumor was found in 4 patients. Diabetes was improved in 1 patients, while glucose intolerance occurred in 1 case. One patient developed gallbladder stone during treatment, but it disappeared spontaneously 1 year after withdrawing Sandostatin. The authors suggested that sandostatin might be effective in reduction of serum GH, but the side effects of the drug should study further.