Axial bone mineral density in patients with acromegaly

Rationale and Objectives. The purpose of this study was to assess the influ ence of long-term elevated levels of growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor I on bone mineral density (BMD) of the spine in patients with acrom egaly. Materials and Methods. The spinal BMD in 40 patients with acromegaly was me asured with quantitative computed tomography. The result was expressed as t he mean of six measurements of consecutive vertebral bodies and as a z scor e. Twenty age- and sex-matched healthy persons also underwent spinal BMD me asurement and served as controls. Results. In 36 of the 40 patients, the BMD z score ranged within 2 standard deviations (SDs) above or below the mean. Only two patients tone man and o ne woman) had enhanced BMD loss (below 2 SD). Two other female patients had BMD values of more than 2 SD above the mean. Differences between patient s ubgroups were not statistically significant, but a statistically significan t (P <.05) positive correlation was found between basal serum concentration of growth hormone and spinal BMD for the entire patient group. No correlat ion between BMD and basal serum concentration of insulin-like growth factor I was found. Conclusion. Hypersecretion of growth hormone in patients with acromegaly, r egardless of ether factors, has no evident effect on BMD of the lumbar spin e.