Endocrine Abstracts

Objective: Acromegaly is frequently associated with thyroid diseases. In this study we evaluated the incidence, morphology of the thyroid and the influence of surgery, iradiation and medical therapy used in acromegaly on thyroid function.

Methods: We evaluated 20 patients diagnosed with acromegaly using thyroid ultrasonography and measurement of IGF1, GH, TSH, free T4. 65% of the patients had active disease and were under medical therapy.

Results: 35% of the patients had multinodular goitre assesed by thyroid ultrasonography, one patient was diagnosed with papillary thyroid carcinoma and another with medullary thyroid carcinoma. 20% had autoimmune chronic thyroiditis with hypothyroidism. We did not find a relation between the duration of the disease and nodular goitre. After one year of treatment with ocreotide or lanreotide there was a reduction in the thyroid volume (P=0.05). The majority of patients (30%) had indication for surgical treatment based on the ultrasonographic characteristics of the goitre.

Conclusions: Goitre is a common finding in acromegaly. In our study, diffuse goitre appeared in the early course of the disease. Nodul formation, enlargement of the thyroid gland may occur independent of TSH. Long-term stimulation by GH can be responsable for the thyroid enlargement.