Pegvisomant

Excerpt

A 61-year-old woman had been diagnosed with acromegaly 8 years earlier. She subsequently underwent surgery for a pituitary adenoma and commenced receiving octreotide for persistent symptoms. In December 2009, she began treatment with SC pegvisomant 10 mg/day. She was instructed to alternate the injection areas between the arms, thighs and abdominal wall. Two months later, she developed soft, painful swellings around the injection sites. Examination revealed visible thickening of the tissue in these areas, while ultrasound showed SC fat hypertrophy in her extremities. MRI of her left arm revealed lipomatous hypertrophy at the injection site. Pegvisomant treatment was discontinued [patient outcome not stated]. …