Endocrine Abstracts

JOINT3679

Introduction: Acromegaly can manifest itself through very frequent degenerative rheumatological complications responsible for long-term after-effects. The objective To describe the rheumatological manifestations of acromegaly.

Patients and Methods: This is an retrospective study of 78 cases of acromegaly followed up in the endocrinology department of Ibn Rochd University Hospital from 2005 to 2024. Rheumatological complications were noted at diagnosis or during follow-up.

Results: The mean age was 45 years (18–72), the sex ratio: 0.33, the mean duration of the disease was 8 and a half years. The mean IGF-1 level was 582 ng/ml or 2.62 times the normal. The rheumatological manifestations like peripheral articular manifestations were dominated by knee pain in 55 patients (42.9%). Diffuse arthralgia was present in 5 acromegalic patients (3.9%), elbow pain in 7 patients (5.46%) and shoulder arthralgia in 3 patients (2.34%). Dorso-lumbar back pain, was present in 36 patients (28.08%) associated with unilateral sciatica in two patients. Carpal tunnel syndrome, were reported in 5 patients (3.9%). The phosphocalcic profile was without abnormality. The mean vitamin D level was 14.3 ng/dl. Bone densitometry showed osteopenia in 5 patients, osteoporosis in one patient and was normal in the rest of the patients.

Conclusion: The rheumatological manifestations linked to acromegaly include peripheral, axial and canal joint involvement, hence the importance of looking for them at the time of diagnosis and during follow-up in order to limit their impact on the functional prognosis of patients.