Cardiovascular Effects of Excess Growth Hormone: How Real is the Threat?

Acromegaly and Cardiovascular Disease: Associated Cardiovascular Risk Factors, Cardiovascular Prognosis, and Therapeutic Impact

Acromegaly is a chronic disease characterized by the excessive production of growth hormone (GH), resulting in elevated levels of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1). It is associated with a significantly increased risk of cardiovascular complications, including arrhythmias and acromegalic cardiomyopathy, which are major contributors to morbidity and mortality in patients with acromegaly. Providing a comprehensive analysis of the cardiovascular risk factors and cardiovascular diseases associated with acromegaly, as well as examining their impact on prognosis and therapeutic strategies that can improve cardiovascular health in these patients, is key to understanding the magnitude of the problem and optimizing clinical management. The presence of traditional cardiovascular risk factors such as diabetes (with a prevalence ranging from 22.3% to 76.8%), hypertension (from 18% to 77%), and dyslipidemia (up to 61%) is worsened by disease activity and duration, increasing the likelihood of adverse cardiovascular events. Early diagnosis and effective treatment are critical to alleviating these complications, as the normalization of GH and IGF-1 levels can improve cardiovascular prognosis. In addition, comprehensive management, including the control of cardiovascular risk factors and regular assessment of cardiac function, is essential. Data suggest that with appropriate treatment, the incidence of myocardial infarction and stroke can be similar to that in the general population. In conclusion, paying careful attention to cardiovascular complications in patients with acromegaly will not only enhance their quality of life, but may also increase their life expectancy through the effective management of comorbidities associated with this disease.

Validity of galactin-3 in acromegaly: comparison with traditional markers

BACKGROUND

Acromegaly occurs due to overproduction of growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1). Galectin-3 (Gal-3) has recently emerged as a novel biomarker, related to IGF-1. This study aimed to assess Gal-3 in patients with acromegaly and compare its effectiveness with traditional biomarker tests.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A randomized case control study conducted in a single center included 50 acromegaly patients and 40 apparently healthy subjects (HS) serve as control group matched both age and BMI. Laboratory test was measured by routine assay used in center. Gal-3, GH, and IGF-1 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

RESULT

There were 50 patients with an average age of 50.40 ± 12.229 (50% of males). Compared with HS, patients' serum GAL-3 levels have increased significantly. The serum GAL-3 exceeds 14.363 ng/ml, with a sensitivity of 100.0 and a specificity of 100.0. Furthermore, serum Gal-3 levels in combination with traditional tests (GH and IGF-1) by DeLoongs test had a significant difference in discriminating acromegaly more accurately than traditional tests.

CONCLUSION

In a summary, this study recommended clinicians measure serum Gal-3 as biomarkers for patients with acromegaly. In addition, the result above shed light on role of Gal-3 on acromegaly pathogenesis and might provide a therapeutic target of acromegaly patients.