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Development of acromegaly in patients with prolactinomas
Marianne Andersen1, Casper Hagen, Jan Frystyk
1Department of Endocrinology, Odense University Hospital, 5000 Odense C, Denmark. M.Andersen@dadlnet.dk
Objectives:
Patients with prolactinomas and patients with acromegaly often have heterogenous adenomas. In this study we have focused on patients with prolactinomas who developed acromegaly and acromegalic patients with hyperprolactinaemia. Our hypothesis is that some patients with hyperprolactinaemia may develop clinical acromegaly.
Methods:
We have included patients examined at department M, Odense University Hospital between 1996 and 2001. Seventy-eight patients with prolactinomas, 65 females and 13 males, with a median age (range) of 30 Years (14-74) and 47 Years (20-66), respectively, were included in the study.
Results:
In females and males the median prolactin (PRL) levels were 90 microg/l (27-4700; normal values (NV)
Conclusions:
Our findings suggest that there is a common group of patients with a pituitary adenoma who secrete PRL and GH unsynchronously. Some of these patients have clinical acromegaly at diagnosis and some patients diagnosed as prolactinomas will develop acromegaly. We suggest an annual IGF-I measurement as a screening test.