Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) is a newly described adverse effect possibly associated with gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist therapy. We report a case of PRES after 2 doses of depot GnRH agonists in a 44-year-old woman with a huge myoma uteri and iron-deficiency anemia. Brain magnetic resonance imaging showed high signal lesions in both occipital lobes on fluid-attenuated inversion-recovery (FLAIR) images, compatible with PRES. After treatment with anticonvulsant, she recovered both radiographically and clinically. The association between PRES and GnRH agonist use is still enigmatic, and thus should be further clarified.
Adult ; Anemia, Iron-Deficiency ; Brain ; Brain Diseases ; Female ; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone* ; Humans ; Leuprolide ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Myoma ; Occipital Lobe ; Posterior Leukoencephalopathy Syndrome* ; Uterus

We aimed to evaluate the current nationwide trend, efficacy, safety, and quality of life (QoL) profiles of hormone treatment in real-world practice settings for prostate cancer (PCa) patients in Korea. A total of 292 men with any biopsy-proven PCa (TanyNanyMany) from 12 institutions in Korea were included in this multi-institutional, observational study of prospectively collected data. All luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) agonists were allowed to be investigational drugs. Efficacy was defined as (1) the rate of castration (serum testosterone ≤50 ng dl^-1) at 4-week visit and (2) breakthrough (serum testosterone >50 ng dl^-1 after castration). Safety assessments included routine examinations for potential adverse events, laboratory tests, blood pressure, body weight, and bone mineral density (BMD, at baseline and at the last follow-up visit). QoL was assessed using the Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite-26 (EPIC-26). The most common initial therapeutic regimen was LHRH agonist with anti-androgen (78.0%), and the most commonly used LHRH agonist for combination and monotherapy was leuprolide (64.0% for combination and 58.0% for monotherapy). The castration and breakthrough rates were 78.4% and 6.6%, respectively. The laboratory results related to dyslipidemia worsened after 4 weeks of hormone treatment. In addition, the mean BMD T-score was significantly lower at the last follow-up (mean: -1.950) compared to baseline (mean: -0.195). The mean total EPIC-26 score decreased from 84.8 (standard deviation [s.d.]: 12.2) to 78.3 (s.d.: 8.1), with significant deterioration only in the urinary domain (mean: 23.5 at baseline and 21.9 at the 4-week visit). These findings demonstrate the nationwide trend of current practice settings in hormone treatment for PCa in Korea.
Aged ; Androgen Antagonists/therapeutic use* ; Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal/therapeutic use* ; Cholesterol/blood* ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Humans ; Leuprolide/therapeutic use* ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prostatic Neoplasms/pathology* ; Quality of Life ; Receptors, LHRH/agonists* ; Republic of Korea ; Testosterone/blood* ; Treatment Outcome ; Triglycerides/blood*

BACKGROUND: This study examined the clinical effects of leuprolide acetate in sexual offenders with paraphilic disorders evaluated by means of objective psychiatric assessment. METHODS: The subjects of this study were seven sexual offenders who were being treated by means of an injection for sexual impulse control by a court order. They had been diagnosed with paraphilia by a psychiatrist based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition (DSM-5) and had been put on probation by the Ministry of Justice between January 2016 and December 2016. RESULTS: After twelve months, we observed significant improvement in symptoms, as decrease of abnormal sexual interest and activity, sexual fantasy, Clinical Global Impression-Severity (CGI-S), and Clinical Global Impression-Impulsivity (GCI-I). There were a mild feminization of the body shape, feelings of fatigue, and mild hot flushes. No other adverse effect was reported. CONCLUSION: These results suggested that the clinical effects of leuprolide acetate in sexual offenders might be an effective treatment and safety strategy.
Criminals* ; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ; Fantasy ; Fatigue ; Feminization ; Humans ; Leuprolide* ; Paraphilic Disorders* ; Psychiatry ; Sexual Behavior ; Social Justice ; Therapeutic Uses*

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of short-term use of selective progesterone receptor modulator (SPRM) or gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist on uterine fibroid shrinkage among Korean women. METHODS: This retrospective study involved 101 women with symptomatic uterine fibroids who received ulipristal acetate (SPRM, n=51) and leuprolide acetate (GnRH agonist, n=50) for 3 months between November 2013 and February 2015. The fibroid volume was measured both before and after treatment using ultrasonography, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging. The outcomes were compared between the SPRM and GnRH agonist groups. RESULTS: The median rate of fibroid volume reduction after SPRM treatment was 12.4% (IQR −14.5% to 40.5%) which was significantly lower than the reduction rate observed after GnRH agonist treatment (median 34.9%, IQR 14.7% to 48.6%, P=0.004). 19 of 51 (37.3%) patients with SPRM treatment did not show any response of volume shrinkage, while 7 of 50 (14.0%) women with GnRH agonist showed no response (P=0.007). CONCLUSION: Short-term SPRM treatment yields lower volume reduction than GnRH agonist treatment in Korean women with symptomatic fibroids. Further large-scale randomized trials are needed to confirm our findings.
Female ; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone* ; Humans ; Leiomyoma* ; Leuprolide ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Progesterone* ; Receptors, Progesterone* ; Retrospective Studies ; Ultrasonography

Salivary duct carcinoma (SDC) is a rare, aggressive tumor. Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) has been shown to have beneficial effects on SDC-expressing androgen receptors (ARs). A 69-year-old male with a right neck mass presented to our clinic. Computed tomography (CT) of the neck revealed a mass (6 cm diameter) on the right parotid gland, and enlarged lymph nodes. Examination of a needle biopsy sample identified SDC-expressing ARs. We performed total parotidectomy with bilateral neck dissection and concurrent postoperative chemoradiotherapy (total 66 Gy) with cisplatin (35 mg/m2), followed by another two cycles of chemotherapy (cisplatin 60 mg/m2, 5 FU 750 mg/m2). Post-treatment neck CT indicated that no residual tumor tissue remained; however, chest CT indicated recurrence in the right axilla. We initiated ADT with bicalutamide and leuprolide. Five months later, the axillar tumor tissue had almost disappeared. Our case demonstrates that ADT is effective for SDC of ARs. Therefore, clinicians should consider ADT in recurrent or metastatic SDC of ARs.
Aged ; Axilla ; Biopsy, Needle ; Chemoradiotherapy ; Cisplatin ; Drug Therapy ; Humans ; Leuprolide ; Lymph Nodes ; Male ; Neck ; Neck Dissection ; Neoplasm, Residual ; Parotid Gland ; Receptors, Androgen ; Recurrence ; Salivary Ducts* ; Salivary Gland Neoplasms ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Leuprolide acetate is an established luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) agonist used as a first-line treatment in advanced prostate cancer. An 80-year-old man presented with a localized erythematous patch with an indurated plaque and nodule and pustules on the left upper arm. The patient had been treated for metastatic prostate cancer with subcutaneous injections of leuprolide acetate 18 months previously. Histopathologic findings revealed granulomas with multinucleated giant cells from the dermis to the subcutaneous fat layer. The granuloma contained numerous round vacuoles. Cultures from the tissue for bacteria, fungi, and mycobacteria were all negative. The diagnosis of leuprolide acetate-induced foreign body granuloma was made by clinicopathologic findings. Various theories on the mechanism of local reactions to leuprolide have been suggested. The formation of granulomas may be related to the poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) polymers or leuprolide itself. The depth of injection could have also contributed; therefore, intramuscular injection is recommended to minimize granuloma formation. To the best of our knowledge, there has been no reported case of leuprolide-induced foreign body granuloma in a patient with prostate cancer in the Korean literature. Dermatologists need to know that leuprolide acetate depot injection may cause a granulomatous reaction.
Aged, 80 and over ; Arm ; Bacteria ; Dermis ; Diagnosis ; Foreign Bodies* ; Fungi ; Giant Cells ; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone ; Granuloma ; Granuloma, Foreign-Body* ; Humans ; Injections, Intramuscular ; Injections, Subcutaneous ; Leuprolide* ; Polymers ; Prostate* ; Prostatic Neoplasms* ; Subcutaneous Fat ; Vacuoles

Leuprolide acetate is an established luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) agonist used as a first-line treatment in advanced prostate cancer. An 80-year-old man presented with a localized erythematous patch with an indurated plaque and nodule and pustules on the left upper arm. The patient had been treated for metastatic prostate cancer with subcutaneous injections of leuprolide acetate 18 months previously. Histopathologic findings revealed granulomas with multinucleated giant cells from the dermis to the subcutaneous fat layer. The granuloma contained numerous round vacuoles. Cultures from the tissue for bacteria, fungi, and mycobacteria were all negative. The diagnosis of leuprolide acetate-induced foreign body granuloma was made by clinicopathologic findings. Various theories on the mechanism of local reactions to leuprolide have been suggested. The formation of granulomas may be related to the poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) polymers or leuprolide itself. The depth of injection could have also contributed; therefore, intramuscular injection is recommended to minimize granuloma formation. To the best of our knowledge, there has been no reported case of leuprolide-induced foreign body granuloma in a patient with prostate cancer in the Korean literature. Dermatologists need to know that leuprolide acetate depot injection may cause a granulomatous reaction.
Aged, 80 and over ; Arm ; Bacteria ; Dermis ; Diagnosis ; Foreign Bodies* ; Fungi ; Giant Cells ; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone ; Granuloma ; Granuloma, Foreign-Body* ; Humans ; Injections, Intramuscular ; Injections, Subcutaneous ; Leuprolide* ; Polymers ; Prostate* ; Prostatic Neoplasms* ; Subcutaneous Fat ; Vacuoles

Leuprorelin acetate is a synthetic analog of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH). Recently, hormone-dependent tumors (prostate cancer and breast cancer) have been treated without surgery using this LHRH agonist. A 74-year-old man presented with a subcutaneous tumor in the abdomen. He had received a subcutaneous injection of depot leuprorelin acetate 2 months previously and radiotherapy for prostate cancer. The subcutaneous tumor was totally excised. Histopathologic findings revealed necrosis of fat tissue, many granulomatous nodules composed of giant cells with vacuoles in the dermis and subcutis, and inflammatory cell infiltrates, including mainly lymphohistiocytes. A diagnosis of foreign body granuloma due to depot injection of leuprorelin acetate was made. He revisited our hospital after 1 month with a subcutaneous tumor on his Lt. upper arm. He had received a subcutaneous injection of leuprorelin acetate 1 week ago on that site. We treated it with intralesional triamcinolone injection. Here, we report a case of granulomatous reaction due to leuprorelin acetate injection, which produced subcutaneous nodules.
Abdomen ; Aged ; Arm ; Breast ; Dermis ; Diagnosis ; Foreign Bodies* ; Giant Cells ; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone ; Granuloma, Foreign-Body* ; Humans ; Injections, Subcutaneous* ; Leuprolide* ; Necrosis ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; Radiotherapy ; Triamcinolone ; Vacuoles

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the efficacy of raloxifene in preventing bone loss associated with long term gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRH-a) administration. METHODS: Twenty-two premenopausal women with severe endometriosis were treated with leuprolide acetate depot at a dosage of 3.75 mg/4 weeks, for 48 weeks. Bone mineral density (BMD) was evaluated at admission, and after 12 treatment cycles. RESULTS: At cycle 12 of GnRH-a plus raloxifene treatment, lumbar spine, trochanter femoral neck, and Ward's BMD differed from before the treatment. A year after treatment, the lumbar spine and trochanter decreased slightly, but were not significantly different. CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows that the administration of GnRH-a plus raloxifene in pre-menopausal women with severe endometriosis, is an effective long-term treatment to prevent bone loss.
Bone Density* ; Endometriosis* ; Female ; Femur ; Femur Neck ; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone* ; Humans ; Leuprolide ; Raloxifene Hydrochloride* ; Spine

BACKGROUNDIn central precocious puberty (CPP), the pulse secretion and release of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) are increased due to early activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, resulting in developmental abnormalities with gonadal development and appearance of secondary sexual characteristics. The CPP without organic disease is known as idiopathic CPP (ICPP). The objective of the study was to evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of domestic leuprorelin (GnRH analog) in girls with ICPP.

METHODSA total of 236 girls with ICPP diagnosed from April 2012 to January 2014 were selected and were randomized into two groups. One hundred fifty-seven girls in the test group were treated with domestic leuprorelin acetate, 79 girls in the control group were treated with imported leuprorelin acetate. They all were treated and observed for 6 months. After 6-month treatment, the percentage of children with peak luteinizing hormone (LH) ≤3.3 U/L, the percentage of children with peak LH/peak follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) ratio <0.6, the improvements of secondary sexual characteristics, gonadal development and sex hormone levels, the change of growth rate of bone age (BA) and growth velocity, and drug adverse effects between two groups were compared.

RESULTSAfter the treatment, the percentage of children with a suppressed LH response to GnRH, defined as a peak LH ≤3.3 U/L, at 6 months in test and control groups were 96.80% and 96.20%, respectively, and the percentage of children with peak LH/FSH ratio ≤0.6 at 6 months in test and control groups were 93.60% and 93.70%, respectively. The sizes of breast, uterus and ovary of children and the levels of estradiol (E 2 ) were significantly reduced, and the growth rate of BA was also reduced. All the differences between pre- and post-treatment in each group were statistically significant (P < 0. 05), but the differences of the parameters between two groups were not significant (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSDomestic leuprorelin is effective and safe in the treatment of Chinese girls with ICPP. Its effectiveness and safety are comparable with imported leuprorelin.

Body Height ; drug effects ; Body Weight ; drug effects ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone ; blood ; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone ; blood ; Humans ; Leuprolide ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Luteinizing Hormone ; blood ; Puberty, Precocious ; blood ; drug therapy ; Treatment Outcome