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Evaluation of temporal muscle thickness in subjects with acromegaly: a follow-up study
Víctor Navas-Moreno1, Marta Araujo-Castro2,3, María Sara Tapia-Sanchiz1
1Department of Endocrinology and Nutrition, Hospital Universitario de La Princesa, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de La Princesa, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
Background:
Growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) have recently been linked to temporal muscle thickness (TMT) in acromegaly; however, the relationship between treatment response and TMT remains unclear.
Objectives:
To evaluate whether TMT correlates with treatment response and may serve as a surrogate marker of disease control in patients with acromegaly.
Design:
Retrospective longitudinal two-center study.
Methods:
Patients with acromegaly and non-functioning pituitary adenomas (NFPA) were included. TMT was measured on magnetic resonance imaging scans obtained before treatment initiation and after a 3-year follow-up. Baseline TMT was compared between groups. In patients with acromegaly, TMT was correlated with IGF-1 levels at diagnosis and over time, as well as with treatment response. Mixed-effects regression models adjusted for covariates were used to assess associations.
Results:
Imaging studies from 58 subjects were analyzed (40 with acromegaly, 18 with NFPA). Pre-treatment TMT was significantly greater in patients with acromegaly compared with NFPA (mean 10.1 mm (9.3-10.7) vs 8.1 mm (8.0-9.2), p = 0.003). Higher baseline TMT was associated with higher IGF-1 levels at diagnosis (p < 0.01). Following treatment, mean TMT decreased from 9.6 mm at baseline to 8.8 mm at 36 months (p = 0.001). In covariate-adjusted mixed-effects models, higher pre-treatment TMT was independently associated with increased IGF-1 levels at diagnosis and longitudinally (β = 19.59 ng/mL, p = 0.022).
Conclusion:
TMT correlates with biochemical disease activity and decreases after treatment, suggesting it may be a useful imaging marker of clinical activity and prognosis in acromegaly.
Trial Registration:
Not applicable.
