Endocrine Abstracts

Background: RhGH treatment in adults with childhood onset growth hormone deficiency (COGHD) affect bone metabolism over time according to gender and age. A long-term study of bone mass density (BMD) in young-middle age hypopituitary patients with COGHD may better highlight possible benefits of therapy and improve clinical follow up.Methods: We enrolled 40 adults (age range during follow-up: 16.8–36 years, F: 38%) with COGHD with at least 20 years o...

Background: In the general population, sleep disorders are associated with an increased risk of cognitive impairment; moreover, people with dementia often have sleep disturbances. The prevalence of sleep disorders, such as sleep apnea, in acromegalic patients is higher than in the general population, and they may have a higher risk of cognitive impairment due to acromegaly treatment (i.e. Radiotherapy) or cardiovascular comorbidities. In the literature, data about the relation...

Background: Pegvisomant (PEG) is a second line medical treatment for active acromegalic patients. PEG efficacy is between 61.5 and 92% and even if it is administered daily its long half-life suggests a possible use with a non-daily regime.Aim: We aim to compare acromegalic patients on daily PEG administration (DP) with patients on non-daily PEG administration (NDP).Methods: We studied 43 acromegalic patients under PEG treatment bet...

Introduction: Acromegalic cardiomyopathy is characterized by myocardial hypertrophy and interstitial myocardial fibrosis at biopsy. We studied left ventricular hypertrophy -LVH- through echocardiography (-ECHO- 2-D standard echocardiography and Doppler analysis) and cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) analysis. Myocardial fibrosis was studied with late enhancement technique (LE) and extracellular volume technique (ECV) at CMR.Methods: 25 patients -pts- (13 ...

Introduction: Epidemiological studies indicate that patients with acromegaly have increased mortality rates for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease (CVD). Potentials risk factors for increased CVD include hypopituitarism and cranial radiation therapy (CRT).Case Report: A 43-year-old acromegalic woman was admitted because of worsening headache, left lower facial numbness and left arm weakness. Two weeks later she developed a central palsy of the le...