Update on the use of oral octreotide therapy for acromegaly.

Update on the use of oral octreotide therapy for acromegaly. Expert Rev Endocrinol Metab. 2016 Jul;11(4):349-355 Authors: Schilbach K, Schopohl J Abstract INTRODUCTION: Somatostatin analogs are most commonly used in pharmacological treatment of acromegaly. Pegvisomant and dopamine agonists are alternatives, which are used to a lesser extent. Dopamine agonists are the only orally applicable medication but are less effective than the other options. For a large number of patients, life-long pharmacotherapy has to be applied and frequent injections represent a reduction of quality of life for many of them. Areas covered: Recently published evidence for the use of oral octreotide therapy for acromegaly. Expert commentary: Oral octreotide is a novel and effective treatment for acromegaly and the side effects have been shown to be comparable to the injectable SSAs. The combination with a transient permeability enhancer allows intestinal permeation but also enables molecules with a size <70 kDa to pass transiently. This does not seem to have an acute or subacute consequence, but the long-term effect is still elusive. Therefore, more long-term trials are desirable. PMID: 30058923 [PubMed]
Source: Expert Review of Endocrinology and Metabolism - Category: Endocrinology Tags: Expert Rev Endocrinol Metab Source Type: research