Hand measurements in the follow-up of acromegaly

Acromegaly is a chronic progressive disease that originates from the increased secretion of the insulin-like growth-hormone (IGF-1) secondary to the hypersecretion of the growth hormone (GH). The enlargement of the minor hand and foot bones represents an early finding in this disease. Kleinberg et al. used the sesamoid index (SI) values for diagnosing the disease. The present trial was designed to investigate whether there was a difference between the control patients and the treated acromegalic patients in the SI, the terminal tuft width, the joint space and the metacarpal thickness. 34 patients were diagnosed and treated for acromegaly at the Rheumatology and Endocrinology Outpatient Clinics and 26 control patients presenting to the Rheumatology Outpatient Clinic, who were not detected to have an inflammatory rheumatologic pathology were enrolled. The hand radiographs of the patients that followed up for acromegaly and the control group were retrospectively evaluated. The SI, the tuft width, the joint space and the metacarpal thickness were measured. There was a statistically significant difference in the other parameters between the acromegalic patients and the control patients except the mean metacarpal thickness.