Growth hormone responses to oral glucose and intravenous thyrotropin-releasing hormone in acromegalic patients treated by slow-release lanreotide.

The aim of this study was to assess GH response to oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and TRH stimulation test in a group of 10 patients with active post-operative acromegaly before and after long-term slow-release (SR) lanreotide therapy (30 mg im every 10-14 days). Seven patients (2 males, 5 females, 29-71 yr), who during therapy maintained plasma GH and IGF-I concentrations under 5 microg/l and 450 microg/l, respectively, were considered as responders and studied for 24 (1 patient) to 36 months (6 patients). Three patients (1 male, 2 females, 46-61 yr) with levels of GH and IGF-I above those values were studied for 12 months. The OGTT (75 g po) and TRH test (400 microg iv) were repeated before and after 6, 12, 24 and 36 months. The GH response to OGTT was abnormal (nadir: >2 microg/l) at 6 and 12 months in poorly responsive patients. This response was normalized in all responsive patients. Nonetheless, 2 responsive patients showed abnormal GH values after OGTT once each throughout the 36-month study period. The GH response to TRH was characterized by great variability and exhibited unpredictable behavior throughout the study period both in responsive and in poorly responsive patients. Only 2 patients in the responsive group showed persistent normal GH levels (peak: < or =5 microg/l) after TRH for 3 yr. In conclusion, SR lanreotide treatment gave rise to a correct control of GH hypersecretion and to a normalization of GH response to oral glucose in 7 out of 10 patients, although it did not abolish the paradoxical reaction of GH to TRH in all responders. The effect of SR lanreotide on GH response to glucose tolerance test was not paralleled by GH response to TRH.