Prevalence of diabetes in acromegaly and Cushing's disease

In a retrospective study glucose metabolism was investigated in 206 patient s with acromegaly and 131 patients with Gushing's disease. 40.5 % of the pa tients with hypersomatotropism and 32.0 % of the patients with hypercortiso lism suffered from overt diabetes mellitus. Impaired glucose tolerance was present prior to therapy in 28.2 % and 30.6 % of the patients, respectively . In acromegaly the incidence of overt diabetes mellitus was higher in wome n than in men, but no difference existed in the distribution of impaired gl ucose tolerance between both sexes. No correlation was found between growth hormone levels and occurrence of diabetes. In acromegaly and Gushing's dis ease overt diabetes increased with advanced age. Diabetes mellitus occurred independently from the etiology of hypercortisolism.