Analysis of Cardiovascular Risk Factors in a Group of 44 Acromegalic Patients.

Abstract

Acromegaly has several complications on the cardiovascular system, especially hypertension. Objectives: To evaluate clinical characteristics and laboratorial cardiovascular risk markers of a group of patients with acromegaly and to determine whether they are correlated with presence of hypertension and disease activity. Study design: Uncontrolled cross-sectional study. Patients and Methods: Forty-four patients with active or inactive acromegaly being followed at the Neuroendocrinology Clinic of the HCPA were submitted to clinical assessment, laboratory tests (biochemical parameters for acromegaly control, lipid profile, renin, aldosterone, 24-hour microalbuminuria, ultrasensitive C-reactive protein), and echocardiography. Results: The prevalence rates found in the sample were as follows: active acromegaly, 40.9%; hypertension, 56.8%; diabetes mellitus, 18.2%; obesity, 29.5%. Patients with active disease did not have the highest number of cardiovascular risk factors when compared with healed individuals. There were no correlations between disease activity and presence of hypertension, renin and aldosterone levels, or us-CRP. Patients with left ventricular hypertrophy had lower levels of GH and IGF-1 (nonsignificant p). There was correlation between acromegaly activity and microalbuminuria levels and HOMA index. Conclusions: There is no greater aggregation of cardiovascular risk factors in active acromegaly; there is correlation between disease activity and nontraditional cardiovascular risk parameters -microalbuminuria and insulin resistance.