Quantitative ultrasound at the hand phalanges in patients with acromegaly

The aim of this study was assessment of skeletal status using quantitative ultrasound (QUS) at hand phalanges in patients with acromegaly. A group of 38 patients with acromegaly (27 women and 11 men) with a mean age of 57.21 +/- 9.85 years was compared with a control group of 44 men and 108 women matched for gender, age and body size. Amplitude-dependent speed of sound (Ad-SoS) at hand phalanges had lower values in patients with acromegaly than in controls, both in the entire group and in men and women, respectively. The positive correlation between Ad-SoS and height and the negative one between Ad-SoS and age was found in the entire group of patients with acromegaly. No correlations between Ad-SoS and time from diagnosis or duration of the symptoms were found. Age affected Ad-SoS significantly less in the entire patient group than in controls. Similarly, in women, age and body mass affected Ad-SoS less than in controls. A stepwise multiple regression analysis carried out in the patient group identified age as the only factor significantly influencing negatively the Ad-SoS value (regression equation: Ad-SoS (m/s) = 2124 m/s - 3.26 x age (years) [r2= 0.26, standard error of estimate = 55.1, p < 0.01]). In conclusion, our data demonstrate that, in patients with acromegaly, skeletal status assessed by QUS was affected. This could reflect the worsening of the mechanical properties of bones studied and the increased risk of fractures in other sites of the skeleton. The changes observed were not related to acromegaly-associated hypogonadism. Further studies to assess the role of QUS in acromegaly are necessary and fracture prevalence and risk ought to be established.