Reactions 512 - 30 Jul 1994

Octreotide

Adrenal and appetite suppression in a neonate:case report

A 10-day-old male neonate experienced adrenal andappetite suppression after being administered octreotide forhyperinsulinism. Before treatment with octreotide his plasmacortisol was 56 nmol/L. This low level was thought to be due tothe neonate’s immaturity. The neonate was given octreotide4.5 µg/kg/day when he was 10 days old along withphysiological replacement doses of hydrocortisone. Hisplasma cortisol levels remained consistently low while he wasreceiving octreotide therapy. The boy required nasogastricfeeds until he was 60 days old when octreotide was withdrawnand diazoxide was introduced. He fed well for 8 days until heexperienced diazoxide related heart failure and octreotide wasrestarted. Again he required nasogastric feeds. Whenoctreotide was withdrawn post-operatively [total duration oftherapy not clear] the boy again started to feed well and plasmacortisol levels increased to 489 nmol/L within 48 hours andremained normal.

Author comment:‘The feeding difficulties and suppressedplasma cortisol concentrations in this child seem to be relatedto octreotide treatment.’Wales JK. Octreotide treatment associated with adrenal suppression and poorfeeding. Archives of Disease in Childhood 70: 553, Jun 1994 -England 800282278

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Reactions 30 Jul 1994 No. 5120114-9954/10/0512-0001/$14.95 Adis © 2010 Springer International Publishing AG. All rights reserved