Filling the gap between the heart and the body in acromegaly: a case-control study

Objective Cardiovascul diseases are the most common comorbidities in acromegaly. Potential parameters in pathology of cardiovascular comorbidities are changes in levels of growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) as well as body composition parameters. Purpose The aim of this study was to examine morphological and functional parameters of the cardiovascular system by echocardiography and to assess its relationship with disease activity and body composition parameters. Methods We prospectively enroled 129 acromegalic patients (82 females, 47 males) and 80 healthy controls (53 females, 27 males) matched for age, gender, and BMI. All patients underwent two-dimensional echocardiography. Body composition parameters were assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Results Acromegaly patients presented with higher left ventricle mass (LVM) compared to controls (LVMI: 123 +/- 45 g/m(2) vs 83 +/- 16 g/m(2), P < 0.001). Prevalence of left ventricle hypertrophy in acromegaly patients was 67% (78% concentric, 22% eccentric). IGF -1 levels, BMI, and lean mass positively correlated with LVM in all acromegaly patients (P < 0.001). Fat mass positively correlated with LVM in females (R = 0.306, P = 0.005), but this correlation was not found in males. We did not find any difference in size of the left and right ventricle between acromegaly patients and controls. Acromegaly patients presented with left atrium enlargement, diastolic dysfunction and low incidence of systolic dysfunction. Valvopathy was found in 43% of patients with predominant (31%) prevalence of mitral regurgitation. Conclusion Our study demonstrates higher prevalence of cardiovascular comorbidities in acromegaly patients and the impact of IGF-1 levels and body composition parameters in pathology in some of these comorbidities.