Active acromegaly is associated with enhanced left ventricular contractility: Results from the three-dimensional...

Acromegaly is a relatively rare chronic hormonal disease resulting in disfigurement. In 90% of cases, acromegaly is caused by a benign pituitary monoclonal human growth hormone-secreting tumor. The aim of the present study was to determine the presence of left ventricular (LV) deformation abnormalities using three-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography in a group of acromegalic patients.

Thirty-eight acromegalic patients were involved in the study. Thirteen patients were excluded due to inadequate image quality. The mean age of the remaining patients was 57.2±13.6 years and seven were male. Their data were compared to an age- and gender-matched control population, which consisted of 34 healthy volunteers (mean age: 52.7±4.9 years, 15 male).

Global and mean segmental LV radial strain (RS) (33.2±13.4% vs. 25.2±10.8%, p=0.01 and 36.0±12.1% vs. 28.2±10.0%, p=0.009, respectively) proved to be significantly higher in acromegaly compared to controls. Active acromegalic patients had significantly higher global and mean segmental LV-RS (35.5±14.4% vs. 25.2±10.8%, p=0.03 and 37.9±13.3% vs. 28.2±10.0%, p=0.03, respectively) compared to controls. Between the active and inactive acromegaly groups, only basal LV circumferential strain (-30.2±4.8% vs. -26.7±4.1%, p=0.02) was found to be significantly different.

The presented clinical, demographic, therapeutic and echocardiographic features demonstrate that active acromegaly is associated with enhanced LV RS as compared to healthy controls and those with inactive acromegaly.