Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: Hipersecretion of somatotrophin axis hormones in acromegaly favours the development of numerous metabolic and organ complications. The aim of the study was to establish the occurrence integrity of these complications in acromegalics.

Material and methods: The tested 72 acromegalics – 32 men aged 46.9±15.2 years and 40 women aged 58.8±12.0 years, for which the period of the illness was determined, the body mass index (BMI) and the waste-hip ratio (WHR) were calculated, and the serum concentration was determined for: the growth hormone (GH), insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) and other hormones. Ultrasonography tests of thyroid, heart, abdominal cavity and pelvis were conducted. All the patients were proposed colonoscopy test, however only 51 of them gave their consent to it.

Results: A frequent occurrence of abnormal body weight (overweight and obesity) in 64 (89%) acromegalics; cardiovascular complications in 56 (78%) including hypertension in 35 (49%), cardiac muscle hypertrophy in 34 (47%) and myocardial ischemia in 13 (18%); disturbances of glucose metabolism in 50 (69%) including impaired glucose tolerance in 20 (28%), diabetes in 17 (24%) and abnormal fasting glucose in 12 (17%); abnormalities in lipid metabolism in 50 (68%), nodular goitre in 37 (51%), parenchymatous goitre in 12 (17%), benign prostate hypertrophy in 16 (50%) of the men, uterine myomas in 19 (48%) of the women, cysts of organs in 12 (17%) including renal cysts 7 (10%) and cholelithiasis in 20 (28%) of patients was registered. During the colonoscopy polyps were shown in 21 (41%) including adenomas in 10 (20%), hyperplastic polyps in 9 (17.3%) and inflammatory polyps in 4 (7.7%) of testated acromegalics.

Conclusions: Our study revealed high percentage of metabolic and organ complications, that may increase risk of mortality in the future in these patients.