Pre-surgical medical treatment, a major prognostic factor for long-term remission in acromegaly

To determine whether pre-surgical medical treatment (PSMT) using long-acting Somatostatin analogues in acromegaly may improve long-term surgical outcome and to determine decision making criteria.

This retrospective study included 110 consecutive patients newly diagnosed with acromegaly, who underwent surgery in a reference center (Marseille, France). The mean long-term follow-up period was 51.4 ± 36.5 (median 39.4) months. Sixty-four patients received PSMT during 3-18 (median 5) months before pituitary surgery. Remission was defined at early (3 months) evaluation and at last follow-up by GH nadir after oral glucose tolerance test < 0.4 µg/L and normal IGF-1.

Pretreated and non-pretreated groups were comparable for the main confounding factors except for higher IGF-1 at diagnosis in PSMT patients. Remission rates were significantly different in pretreated or not pretreated groups (61.1% vs. 36.6%, respectively at long-term evaluation). In multivariate analysis, PSMT was significantly linked to 3 months (p < 0.01) and long-term remission (p < 0.01). Duration of PSMT was not significantly different in cured or non-cured patients, at both evaluation times. PSMT appeared to be more beneficial for patients with an invasive tumor. No patient with a tumor greater than 18 mm or mean GH level exceeding 35 ng/mL at diagnosis was cured by surgery alone (vs. 8 and 9 patients in the pretreated group, respectively). Patients with PSMT showed more transient mild hyponatremia after surgery.

PSMT significantly improved short and long-term remission in patients with acromegaly, independent of its duration, especially in invasive adenomas.