BROMOERGOCRYPTINE TREATMENT OF ACROMEGALY PERSISTING FOLLOWING CONVENTIONAL THERAPY

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Abstract
Bromoergocryptine was used to lower growth hormone [GH] concentrations in 10 patients with acromegaly in whom previous attempts at pituitary ablation had failed to cure the disorder. Plasma immunoreactive and plasma receptor-reactive GH concentrations together with plasma somatomedin concentrations and urinary excretion of immunoreactive GH were used to assess the response to treatment. Casual immunoreactive hormone concentrations in plasma were lowered to less than 8 mu/l and to less than 5 mu/l during glucose infusion in 7 patients, and urinary GH excretion was also brought into the normal range (< 40 .mu.u/12 h) in this group. There was at least a 40% reduction in these measurements in the remaining 3 patients who had the highest basal hormone concentrations of the group. Plasma somatomedin fell with treatment in 8 patients, and i.v. glucose tolerance improved in 7 of 8 patients tested. Used in modest dosage (up to 15 mg/day) bromoergocryptine can lower plasma and urinary GH and plasma somatomedin concentrations in acromegalic patients in whom previous treatments have decreased but not cured hormone overproduction.