01.12.2011 | Case report | Ausgabe 1/2011 Open Access
Rosiglitazone as an option for patients with acromegaly: a case series
- Zeitschrift:
- Journal of Medical Case Reports > Ausgabe 1/2011
Wichtige Hinweise
Competing interests
The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
Authors' contributions
TH analyzed and interpreted the patient data and was a major contributor in writing the manuscript. Both BA and GM analyzed and interpreted the patient data. GH analyzed and interpreted laboratory studies. TA analyzed and interpreted the laboratory studies and the statistical reporting. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Abstract
Introduction
In the patient with acromegaly, pituitary surgery is the therapeutic standard. Despite undergoing surgery, a significant number of patients with acromegaly continue to have uncontrolled growth hormone secretion. These patients require other treatments such as external irradiation and/or drug therapy.
Case presentation
We present the clinical and laboratory responses to six months of treatment with rosiglitazone in four cases. In all four cases, the patients had persistent growth hormone overproduction despite previous surgical treatment and other conventional therapy. Case 1 is a 57-year-old Caucasian woman, case 2 is a 51-year-old Hispanic man, case 3 is a 32-year-old Hispanic woman, and case 4 is a 36-year-old Hispanic man. In three of these patients, basal and nadir growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor 1 levels were significantly decreased (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01, respectively).
Conclusion
Rosiglitazone could be a treatment option in select patients with acromegaly.