[Prospective study of functional changes in the gallbladder and formation of gallstones induced by long-term treatment of somatostatin analogue SMS201-995 in patients of active acromegaly]

Abstract

We reports the result about the changes of function of gallbladder in 17 acromegalic patients after treatment with long-acting somatostatin analogue SMS201-995 for 3-36 months by ultrasonogram. The number of cases developed bile sludges, gallstones, chronic and acute cholecystitis was 14, 8, 10 and 1 respectively during therapy. The contractibility of gallbladder after fatty meal was inhibited in all of the patients during the course of therapy. A bolus injection of SMS201-995 with a dosage of 100 micrograms for acromegalic patients resulted in marked suppression of the contractibility of the gallbladder. Our result indicates that the decreased contractibility of the gallbladder leads to the formation of gallstones during the long-term therapy of SMS201-995. Therefore, it is important to follow the gallbladder carefully in the course of the therapy of SMS201-995.