Does pegvisomant treatment expertise improve control of resistant acromegaly? The Italian ACROSTUDY experience

Objective: GH receptor antagonist pegvisomant is indicated for treatment of patients with resistant acromegaly. We compared safety and treatment outcomes of pegvisomant therapy in patients managed by Italian centers enrolling less or more than 15 cases in ACROSTUDY, a safety surveillance study of long-term pegvisomant treatment of patients with acromegaly. A noninterventional safety surveillance study in which safety and treatment outcomes of pegvisomant were evaluated on the basis of data collected during a 7-year period. Methods: A total of 204 acromegaly patients treated by seven centers enrolling 16-49 patients each (group A) and 137 subjects by 18 centers following 3-14 cases (group B). Results: Patients of group A and B were treated for 4.4 ± 2.7 and 4.2 ± 2.2 years, respectively. IGF-1 ULN normalized in 64.4 % (n = 56) and 54.4 % (n = 31) in group A and B, respectively, after 1-year treatment, and in 57.3 % (n = 106) and 72.5 % (n = 87) at last visit. Starting doses were signifi...