Tolerance to somatostatin analogue in a preterm infant with islet cell dysregulation syndrome.

An infant of 31 weeks' gestation presented with refractory neonatal hypoglycaemia secondary to islet cell dysregulation. Treatment was started with somatostatin analogue and his glycaemic control improved initially. Tolerance developed, however, in that the dose required to maintain control increased by a factor of 40. The infant subsequently underwent pancreatectomy. It is safe to use somatostatin analogue in a preterm infant, but tolerance to the drug rapidly develops.