Active acromegaly is associated with enhanced left ventricular contractility: Results from the three-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiographic MAGYAR-Path Study

Abstract

Introduction: Acromegaly is a relatively rare chronic hormonal disease resulting in disfigurement. In 90% of cases, acromegaly is caused by a benign pituitary monoclonal human growth hormone-secreting tumor. The aim of the present study was to determine the presence of left ventricular (LV) deformation abnormalities using three-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography in a group of acromegalic patients.

Methods: Thirty-eight acromegalic patients were involved in the study. Thirteen patients were excluded due to inadequate image quality. The mean age of the remaining patients was 57.2±13.6 years and seven were male. Their data were compared to an age- and gender-matched control population, which consisted of 34 healthy volunteers (mean age: 52.7±4.9 years, 15 male).

Results: Global and mean segmental LV radial strain (RS) (33.2±13.4% vs. 25.2±10.8%, p=0.01 and 36.0±12.1% vs. 28.2±10.0%, p=0.009, respectively) proved to be significantly higher in acromegaly compared to controls. Active acromegalic patients had significantly higher global and mean segmental LV-RS (35.5±14.4% vs. 25.2±10.8%, p=0.03 and 37.9±13.3% vs. 28.2±10.0%, p=0.03, respectively) compared to controls. Between the active and inactive acromegaly groups, only basal LV circumferential strain (-30.2±4.8% vs. -26.7±4.1%, p=0.02) was found to be significantly different.

Conclusion: The presented clinical, demographic, therapeutic and echocardiographic features demonstrate that active acromegaly is associated with enhanced LV RS as compared to healthy controls and those with inactive acromegaly.

Keywords: Acromegalia; Acromegaly; Echocardiography; Ecocardiografia; Function; Função; Left ventricle; Speckle tracking tridimensional; Three-dimensional speckle tracking; Ventrículo esquerdo.