Endocrine Abstracts

Acromegaly is associated with cardiovascular diseases. Accelerated atherosclerosis may have important role in that. The aim of this study was to examine the presence of dyslipidemia, glucose control imapairment, inflamation and hypertension as risk factors for the development of atherosclerosis in acromegalic patients.

Study group included 28 patients with acromegaly without lesions of thyroid, adrenal and gonadal axis. The examination was performed before and after treatment of acromegaly. Because of that, this group was its own control. We measured IGF-I, total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL, LDL, total cholesterol/HDL ratio, fasting and postprandial glucose, fibrinogen (as a reactant of the acute inflammatory fase) and blood preassure.

Results: Increased levels of IGF-I before therapy, significant decrase and normal levels after therapy suggested successful treatment of acromegaly. Increased triglyceride levels in active acromegaly were normalysed and significantly decreased after treatment (1.81±1.1 vs 1.3±0.64 mmol/l, P<0.01).Total cholesterol and LDL were above normal ranges before therapy and increased after therapy, nonsignificantly.Decreased level of HDL in active acromegaly significantly increased after therapy (1.11±0.2 vs 1.46±0.76 mmol/l, P<0.05).Total cholesterol/HDL ratio was above normal before and after therapy, but decreased nonsignificantly.Increased levels of fasting and postprandial glycaemia normalysed after therapy, but only changes of postprandial glucose were significant (10.28±4.2 vs 7.16±1.53 mmol/l, P<0.01).Fibronogen levels were in normal ranges before and after treatment without significant changes.Normal levels of systolic and dyastolic blood preassure significantly decreased after therapy (136.9±21.4 vs 126.7±17.3 mmHg; 85.9±12.7 vs 81.7±10.5 mmHg, P<0.01.

Conclusion: Dyslipidemia (higher levels of triglycerides, decreased levels of HDL), glucose impairment and blood preassure were acromegaly related risk factors for atherosclerosis in our acromegalic patients. Inflammation wasn’t present in this study.