Acrostart: Spanish retrospective study to determine the timeframe to achieve hormonal normalisation with initial Somatuline Autogel[reg] treatment in acromegaly patients in routine clinical practice

Abstract

Acromegaly is a rare, chronic endocrine disease, characterized by enhanced growth hormone (GH) secretion and elevated insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) levels, the most frequent cause of which is a pituitary adenoma 1• Persistently elevated GH and IGF-I levels lead to substantial morbidity and mortality 2 • Control of GH and IGF-1 secretion is decisive in improving survival, 3 and optimum management of the disease requires a reduction in GH levels to <2.5 ng/mL and normalisation of IGF-1 levels 3• Somatostatin analogues (SSAs) have become the pillar of acromegaly medical therapy in patients unsuitable for, or refusing surgery, after failure of surgical treatment, or in selected cases as primary treatment 4• Initial recommended doses of the SSA Lanreotide Autogel are 60, 90 and 120 mg administered every 28 days.Experience in Spanish hospitals indicated that a longer dosage interval could be used in well controlled patients with similar efficacy. 5 Starting dose for Lanreotide Autogel prescribed in clinical practice may differ from prescribing recommendations