Thoracic ultrasonography and pulmonary function tests in assessing lung function in acromegaly: a prospective matched...

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Pulmonology
• Radiology

Background:

• Acromegaly, caused by excess growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), affects multiple organs.
• Pulmonary function changes in acromegaly are often overlooked, despite potential clinical significance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the utility of thoracic ultrasonography (TUS) and pulmonary function tests (PFTs) in assessing lung changes in acromegaly.
• To explore TUS for predicting pulmonary involvement in acromegaly patients.

Main Methods:

• Prospective single-center study involving 34 acromegaly patients and 34 controls.
• Utilized TUS to measure pleural thickness and PFTs to assess lung volumes and respiratory pressures.

Main Results:

• Acromegaly patients showed higher total lung capacity, residual volume, and forced vital capacity compared to controls.
• Maximal expiratory pressure was significantly lower in acromegaly patients.
• Increased pleural thickness was observed in acromegaly patients and correlated with IGF-1 levels.

Conclusions:

• TUS and PFTs can detect subtle thoracic abnormalities in acromegaly.
• This is the first study to use TUS in acromegaly, suggesting its potential role in clinical assessment.