Bone properties in patients with acromegaly: quantitative ultrasound of the heel

Scientific paper - Original scientific paper

• Author: Darko Kaštelan
• Author: Tina Dušek
• Author: Ivana Kraljević
• Author: Ozren Polašek
• Author: Zdravko Perković
• Author: Iva Kardum
• Author: Zlatko Giljević
• Author: Jozo Jelčić
• Author: Izet Aganović
• Author: Mirko Koršić
• Author's institution: University of Zagreb; School of Medicine
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: BIOMEDICINE AND HEALTHCARE; Clinical Medical Sciences

Abstract (english)

Growth hormone (GH) deficiency and acromegaly serve as good models for investigating the effects of GH on bone remodeling. However, the results from various studies are rather conflicting. The aim of our study was to estimate the potential role of gender, disease activity, and duration on both calcaneus quantitative ultrasound (QUS) parameters and bone turnover markers in patients with acromegaly. Thirty-six acromegalic patients (17 men, 19 women) and 3 age- and gender-adjusted controls for every patient were included in the study. The disease was active in 22 patients, and was considered cured in 14 of them. In each subject, QUS of the heel and parameters of bone turnover (bone alkaline phosphatase, beta-crosslaps, and osteocalcin) were measured. The results demonstrated lower QUS values in acromegalic patients compared with the controls. When stratified by gender, the differences in QUS parameters were significant in men, but not in women. Male patients with active disease had significantly lower QUS values than those in remission. Such differences were not observed among women. Multiple regression model indicated strong association between disease activity and the QUS parameters. The group of patients with active disease had a higher level of serum beta-crosslaps, whereas osteocalcin concentration was significantly increased only in male patients with active disease. The results of our study suggest significantly lower QUS values and increased bone turnover in male patients with active acromegaly. The disease activity is the strongest predictor of the QUS parameters in acromegalic patients.

• Keywords (english): Bone Density; Acromegaly - metabolism - ultrasonography; Bone Remodeling - physiology; Calcaneus - ultrasonography; Adult; Alkaline Phosphatase - metabolism; Biological Markers - metabolism; Case-Control Studies; Collagen - metabolism; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Osteocalcin - metabolism; Peptide Fragments - metabolism; Severity of Illness Index; Sex Factors; Time Factors
• Language: english
• Publication type: Scientific paper - Original scientific paper
• Publication status: Published
• Peer review: Peer review
• Publication version: Accepted version
• Journal title: Journal of Clinical Densitometry
• Numbering: vol. 10, no. 3, pp. 327-331
• p-ISSN: 1094-6950
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jocd.2007.03.103
• URN:NBN: urn:nbn:hr:105:493659
• Publication: 2007-07-01
• Document URL: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jocd.2007.03.103
• Type of resource: Text
• Access conditions: Open access
• Created on: 2024-03-28 09:05:45