Exp Clin Endocrinol Diabetes 2021; 129(03): 216-223
DOI: 10.1055/a-1191-2437
Article

Medical Therapy of Acromegaly in Germany 2019 – Data from the German Acromegaly Registry

1   Endocrinology in Charlottenburg, Berlin, Germany
,
David Petroff
2   Clinical Trial Centre, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
,
Ulrich J. Knappe
3   Department of Neurosurgery, Johannes Wesling Hospital, Minden, Germany
,
Jochen Schopohl
4   Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik IV, Klinikum der Universität München, München, Germany
,
Anke Tönjes
5   Medical Department III – Endocrinology, Nephrology, Rheumatology, University of Leipzig Medical Center, Leipzig, Germany
,
Sebastian M. Schmid
6   Institute for Endocrinology and Diabetes, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
› Author Affiliations
Funding: The German Acromegaly Registry is supported by grants from Ipsen Pharma GmbH, Ettlingen, Germany, Novartis Pharma GmbH, Nuremberg, Germany, and from Pfizer Deutschland GmbH, Berlin, Germany.

Abstract

Context Acromegaly is a rare disease caused by excessive growth hormone (GH) secretion from pituitary adenomas in most cases. If neurosurgical therapy is contraindicated or not sufficient, medical therapy is the second line therapy.

Objective To describe current medical therapy in acromegaly.

Design & Methods Retrospective data analysis from 2732 patients treated in 69 centers of the German Acromegaly Registry. 749 patients were seen within the recent 18 months, of which 420 were on medical therapy (56.1%).

Results 73% of medically treated acromegalic patients had normal/low IGF-1 levels. 57% of patients with non-normalized IGF-1 levels had an IGF-1 value between 1- and 1.25-fold above the upper limit of normal. Most patients (55%) received somatostatin analogs as monotherapy, 12% GH receptor monotherapy, and 9% dopamine agonist therapy. Doses of each medical therapy varied widely, with 120 mg lanreotide LAR every 4 weeks, 30 mg octreotide LAR every 4 weeks, 140 mg pegvisomant per week and 1mg cabergoline per week being the most frequent used regimens. A combination of different medical regimens was used in almost 25% of the patients.

Conclusion The majority of German acromegalic patients receiving medical therapy are controlled according to normal IGF-1 levels.



Publication History

Received: 28 February 2020
Received: 14 May 2020

Accepted: 29 May 2020

Article published online:
30 June 2020

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