Double benefit of long-acting somatostatin analogs in a patient with coexistence of acromegaly and ulcerative colitis.

WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE: Somatostatin analogs control GH/IGF-1 excess in acromegaly. Somatostatin receptors also mediate the complex effects of somatostatin on the gastrointestinal tract and may be defensive in inflammatory bowel diseases, such as ulcerative colitis. We present a patient who showed good response to long-acting octreotide (OCT-LAR) treatment in terms of both acromegaly and ulcerative colitis (UC).

CASE SUMMARY: A 58-year-old female patient with diagnosis of acromegaly and ulcerative colitis was started on long-acting somatostatin treatment as a first-line treatment for acromegaly as she refused to undergo transsphenoidal surgery. During the follow-up period, a significant amelioration was also observed in the course of ulcerative colitis, and clinical remission of both diseases was achieved uneventfully.

WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSION: Somatostatin appears to be a promising candidate in the treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases.