Goiter, cardiovascular and metabolic disorders in patients with acromegaly

This study evaluated the relationship between selected acromegaly complications such as IGF-1 serum concentrations at diagnosis as well as of controlled and uncontrolled disease.

A total of 113 acromegaly patients were enrolled to the study and the duration of active and uncontrolled disease was evaluated as a crucial cause of selected complications.

Goiter, diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglycerydemia, hypertension and ischemic heart disease were diagnosed in 85(75.2 %), 23(20.3 %), 48(51.0 %), 15(13.3 %), 65(57.5 %) and 18(15.9%) patients, respectively. Prevalence of goiter and diabetes was significantly related to the duration of uncontrolled acromegaly (p<0.01) as well as to the prevalence of hypertension and ischaemic heart disease (p0.05). After three years, there was a significant risk of an acromegaly patient being diagnosed at least with one of the above mentioned diseases (p<0.05) and such risk became more significant after four years (p0.05) related to the prevalence of the already mentioned complications.

The treatment of acromegaly patients should be geared towards fulfilling all criteria for controlled disease, thereby alleviating potential complications and decreasing mortality.