Disease control of acromegaly does not prevent excess mortality in the long term: results of a nationwide survey in Italy.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the long-term outcome of patients with acromegaly. DESIGN: This is a multicenter, retrospective, observational study which extends the mean observation period of a previously reported cohort of Italian patients with acromegaly to 15 years of follow-up. METHODS: Only patients from the centers that provided information on the life status of at least 95% of their original cohorts were included. Life status information was collected either from clinical records or from the municipal registry offices. Standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) were computed comparing data with those of the general Italian population. RESULTS: A total of 811 patients were included. There were 153 deaths, with 90 expected and an SMR of 1.7 (95% CI 1.4-2.0, p < 0.001). Death occurred after a median of 15 (women) or 16 (men) years from the diagnosis, without gender differences. Mortality remained elevated in the patients with control of disease (SMR 1.3, 95% CI 1.1-1.6). In the multivariable analysis, only older age and high IGF1 concentrations at last available follow-up visit were predictors of mortality. The oncological causes of death outweighed the cardiovascular ones, bordering on statistical significance with respect to the general population. CONCLUSIONS: Mortality remains significantly high in patients with acromegaly, irrespectively of disease status, as long as the follow-up is sufficiently long with a low rate of patients lost to follow-up. Therapy strategy including radiotherapy does not have an impact on mortality. Oncological causes of death currently outweigh the cardiovascular causes.

Multicenter retro-prospective observational study on chronic hypoparathyroidism and rhPTH (1-84) treatment.

PURPOSE: The main purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of 12 months of rhPTH (1-84) (Natpar®) treatment in a cohort of patients selected according to the indications of hypoparathyroidism guidelines. The use of recombinant human PTH (1-84) [rhPTH (1-84)] is approved as hormonal replacement therapy in patients with hypoparathyroidism not adequately controlled with conventional therapy. METHODS: It is a multicenter, observational, retro-prospective, open label study. Eleven Italian Endocrinological centers, members of Hypoparathyroidism Working Group of the Italian Society of Endocrinology (HypoparaNET) were involved. Main outcome measures were serum and urinary calcium and phosphate concentration, calcium-phosphate product, renal function, oral calcium and vitamin D doses, and clinical manifestations. RESULTS: Fourteen adult subjects, affected by chronic hypoparathyroidism, were treated with rhPTH (1-84) for 12 months. At 12 months of rhPTH (1-84) treatment, 61.5% of patients discontinued calcium supplement and 69.2% calcitriol. Mean albumin-adjusted total serum calcium levels quickly normalized after initiation of rhPTH (1-84) treatment compared to baseline (p = 0.009), remaining in the normal range until 12 months. Rare hypo-hypercalcemia episodes were reported. Renal function was maintained normal and no renal complications were reported. Serum and urinary phosphate and urinary calcium were maintained in the normal range. Mean phosphatemia levels linearly decreased from 3 months up to 12 months compared to baseline (p = 0.014). No severe adverse events were described. CONCLUSIONS: Biochemical and clinical results confirm the efficacy and safety of rhPTH (1-84) therapy, which represents an important option for hypoparathyroid patients unresponsive to conventional therapy.

Autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome type 1: an Italian survey on 158 patients.

BACKGROUND: Autoimmune Polyglandular Syndrome type 1 (APS-1) is a rare recessive inherited disease, caused by AutoImmune Regulator (AIRE) gene mutations and characterized by three major manifestations: chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis (CMC), chronic hypoparathyroidism (CH) and Addison's disease (AD). METHODS: Autoimmune conditions and associated autoantibodies (Abs) were analyzed in 158 Italian patients (103 females and 55 males; F/M 1.9/1) at the onset and during a follow-up of 23.7 ± 15.1 years. AIRE mutations were determined. RESULTS: The prevalence of APS-1 was 2.6 cases/million (range 0.5-17 in different regions). At the onset 93% of patients presented with one or more components of the classical triad and 7% with other components. At the end of follow-up, 86.1% had CH, 77.2% AD, 74.7% CMC, 49.5% premature menopause, 29.7% autoimmune intestinal dysfunction, 27.8% autoimmune thyroid diseases, 25.9% autoimmune gastritis/pernicious anemia, 25.3% ectodermal dystrophy, 24% alopecia, 21.5% autoimmune hepatitis, 17% vitiligo, 13.3% cholelithiasis, 5.7% connective diseases, 4.4% asplenia, 2.5% celiac disease and 13.9% cancer. Overall, 991 diseases (6.3 diseases/patient) were found. Interferon-ω Abs (IFNωAbs) were positive in 91.1% of patients. Overall mortality was 14.6%. The AIRE mutation R139X was found in 21.3% of tested alleles, R257X in 11.8%, W78R in 11.4%, C322fsX372 in 8.8%, T16M in 6.2%, R203X in 4%, and A21V in 2.9%. Less frequent mutations were present in 12.9%, very rare in 9.6% while no mutations in 11% of the cases. CONCLUSIONS: In Italy, APS-1 is a rare disorder presenting with the three major manifestations and associated with different AIRE gene mutations. IFNωAbs are markers of APS-1 and other organ-specific autoantibodies are markers of clinical, subclinical or potential autoimmune conditions.

Anterior pituitary autoantibodies in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus: methodological problems and clinical correlations.

BACKGROUND: Anti-pituitary antibodies (APA) were described in patients with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) but their prevalence and relevance remain controversial. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We evaluated the APA prevalence in Sardinian sera from 100 T1D patients, 70 Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) patients and 62 healthy controls, using indirect immunofluorescence on bovine pituitary sections. To compare two different substrates, we tested using bovine sections, further T1D patient sera (n = 11, from Pisa) previously analysed for APA on monkey sections, while some T1D Sardinian patient sera (n = 22) were tested on monkey sections. According to preliminary experiments, positivity were considered ≥1:200 and ≥1:20 for bovine and monkey substrates, respectively. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Using bovine sections, APA were detected in 7/100 Sardinian T1D patients (at 1:200 titer) and in none of the other Sardinian sera tested. When the T1D sera from Pisa were tested on bovine and the T1D Sardinian sera were tested on monkey, none of these sera showed corresponding positivity for APA. Pituitary hormone dysfunctions were not found in the 7 APA-positive Sardinian T1D patients. The present study shows that the presence of APA at low-titer is highly related to T1D but not associated with any pituitary dysfunction while the animal species used as substrate appears crucial. CONCLUSION: Further studies are needed to ascertain whether APA detected by different animal species may have different pathological relevance in T1D and/or whether APA in the long run may predict future anterior pituitary dysfunction.

Glycometabolic control in acromegalic patients with diabetes: a study of the effects of different treatments for growth hormone excess and for hyperglycemia.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes mellitus is frequently observed in patients with acromegaly. Current therapies for acromegaly may impact glucose regulation, influencing insulin sensitivity and secretion. The question whether these therapies modify control and progression of diabetes once present is still open. AIM: Aim of our study is to analyze glucose control in acromegalic patients with diabetes, evaluating the relation with treatments for GH excess and for diabetes. METHODS: Seventy patients with acromegaly and diabetes were studied. Duration and treatments of acromegaly and diabetes were recorded, together with clinical and metabolic parameters. RESULTS: Most patients (92.8%) were treated with somatostatin analogs (SSA), either alone or in combination with dopamine-agonists (20%) or pegvisomant (15.7%); 7.1% of patients had been treated by surgery alone. Metformin (65.7%), alone or in combination with other hypoglycemic drugs, was the most frequent treatment for diabetes, followed by insulin (21.5%). Only 15.7% were treated with diet alone. The whole cohort showed a very good control of diabetes and acromegaly. Median glycated hemoglobin was 6.4% (5.9-7). IGF-I was within normal range for age in most patients. No relation was observed between duration of acromegaly or diabetes and metabolic control. SSA had a negative effect on insulin secretion, but these effects did not influence glucose control. Finally, we observed a low prevalence of nephropathy (6%) and retinopathy (20%). CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows that a good control of hyperglycemia can be obtained with success in the majority of acromegalic patients with diabetes, independently of the type of treatment for GH excess.

Dopamine D2 receptor gene polymorphisms and response to cabergoline therapy in patients with prolactin-secreting pituitary adenomas.

Dopamine-agonist cabergoline (CB) reduces prolactin (PRL) secretion and tumor size in 80% of patients with prolactin-secreting adenomas (PRL-omas) by binding type 2 dopamine receptor (DRD2). The mechanisms responsible for resistance to CB remain largely unknown. To assess the association of DRD2 with sensitivity to CB, TaqI-A1/A2, TaqI-B1/B2, HphI-G/T and NcoI-C/T genotypes were determined in a cross-sectional retrospective study, including 203 patients with PRL-oma. DRD2 alleles frequencies did not differ between patients and 212 healthy subjects. Conversely, NcoI-T allele frequency was higher in resistant rather than responsive patients, considering both PRL normalization (56.6 vs 45.3%, P=0.038) and tumor shrinkage (70.4 vs 41.4%, P=0.006). Finally, [TaqI A1-/TaqI B1-/HphI T-/NcoI T-] haplotype was found in 34.5% of patients normalizing PRL with < or =3 mg/week of CB vs 11.3% of resistants (P=0.021). In conclusion, resistance to CB was associated with DRD2 NcoI-T+ allele, consistent with evidence suggesting that this variant may lead to reduction and instability of DRD2 mRNA or protein.

Cardiac function, physical exercise capacity, and quality of life during long-term thyrotropin-suppressive therapy with levothyroxine: effect of individual dose tailoring.

As recently claimed, TSH-suppressive therapy with L-T4 may have adverse effects on the heart, but these results have not been consistently confirmed. We assessed cardiac function by clinical, echocardiographic, and ergometabolic criteria in 19 patients (16 women and 3 men) receiving long term L-T4 at a fixed daily dose ranging from 1.8-4.0 microg/kg. The results showed significant alterations in several cardiac parameters suggestive of subclinical hyperthyroidism. In particular, intraventricular septum thickness (10.0+/-1.4 vs. 8.1+/-1.1 mm), left ventricular posterior wall thickness (9.4 1.5 vs. 8.1+/-1.1 mm), end-diastolic dimension (47+/-4 vs. 44+/-3 mm), and left ventricular mass index (102+/-15 vs. 75+/-15 g/m2) were significantly increased compared to values in age- and sex-matched euthyroid controls. Exercise tolerance (expressed as maximal tolerated workload; 102+/-14 vs. 117+/-12 watts), maximal VO2 achieved at peak exercise (maximum VO2, 17.3+/-3.3 vs. 21.9+/-2.5 mL/min x kg), and anaerobic threshold (expressed as a percentage of VO2max, 46.5+/-8.4 vs. 56.2+/-6.6) were significantly reduced in L-T4-treated patients. The L-T4 dose was then reduced to the minimal amount able to keep the serum TSH concentration at 0.1 mU/L or less in 7 patients who were reevaluated 6 months after the initial study. This individual tailoring of the TSH-suppressive L-T4 dose was in all cases associated with normalization of all echocardiographic and ergometabolic parameters. In conclusion, our findings show that abnormalities of heart morphology associated with impaired exercise performance occur as a consequence of long term therapy with fixed TSH-suppressive doses of L-T4, but that these abnormalities improve or disappear after careful tailoring of TSH-suppressive therapy.

Cardiac dysfunction in acromegaly: evidence by pulsed wave tissue Doppler imaging.

OBJECTIVE: To verify whether the accuracy of data on myocardial function provided by pulsed-wave tissue Doppler imaging (PWTDI), a new echocardiographic application that allows quantitative measurements of myocardial wall velocities, could help towards a better understanding of the natural history of acromegalic cardiomyopathy. DESIGN: Eighteen patients with active acromegaly (ten men and eight women; mean age 48.0+/-15.0 years) with no other detectable cause of heart disease underwent PWTDI. Thirteen healthy individuals matched for age and body mass index acted as a control group. METHODS: Ejection fraction (EF), transmitral early/late diastolic velocity (E/A) ratio and isovolumic relaxation time (IVRT) were measured by conventional echocardiography; systolic peak (Sv) and early (Ev) and late (Av) diastolic peak velocities, Ev/Av ratio and regional IVRT (IVRTs) were obtained by PWTDI. RESULTS: All patients showed appreciably abnormal left ventricular global diastolic function represented by prolongation of the IVRT (P<0.001). Using PWTDI we found a prolongation of IVRTs and inversion of the Ev/Av ratio. In addition, the Ev/Av ratio proved to be significantly negatively correlated with IVRT; this correlation was not present in the case of the E/A ratio. Furthermore, a decrease in Sv was detected in the basal segment of the lateral wall (P<0.01), which had the greatest degree of diastolic dysfunction. CONCLUSIONS: PWTDI confirmed the acknowledged diastolic dysfunction that accompanies acromegalic cardiomyopathy and highlighted the greater sensitivity of regional PWTDI with respect to global Doppler diastolic indexes. Furthermore, by revealing an impairment of regional systolic function in presence of a normal EF, the findings with PWTDI contradicted the largely accepted theory that systolic function remains normal for several years in patients affected by acromegalic cardiomyopathy.

Role of UGT1A1 and ADH gene polymorphisms in pegvisomant-induced liver toxicity in acromegalic patients.

CONTEXT: Hepatotoxicity is one of the most serious adverse effects in acromegalic patients treated with pegvisomant (PEG-V). Recent studies have found an association between this adverse event and the UGT1A1 allele 28 polymorphism associated with Gilbert's syndrome. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether UGT1A1*28 and alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) polymorphisms influence liver toxicity during PEG-V treatment. DESIGN AND SETTING: Multicenter observational retrospective study conducted in 13 tertiary care endocrinology units in Italy. PATIENTS: A total of 112 patients with active disease resistant to somatostatin analogs (SSTa) and 108 controls were enrolled. INTERVENTIONS: Clinical and biochemical data were recorded by electronic clinical reporting forms. Blood or DNA samples were sent to the coordinating center for genotyping. RESULTS: No differences in genotypes between patients and controls were found. During PEG-V therapy liver function tests (LFT), abnormalities and overt hepatotoxicity developed in 17 and 4.5% of patients respectively. Logistic and linear regression analyses showed an association between LFT abnormalities during the follow-up visit and prior events of LFT abnormalities in medical history (odds ratio=1.25; P=0.04) and the number of concomitant medications, other than SSTa (B=3.9; P=0.03). No correlation between LFT alterations and UGT1A1 allele 28 as well as ADH1C and B polymorphisms was found. CONCLUSIONS: UGT1A1 allele 28 and ADH1C and B polymorphisms do not predict increased risk of hepatotoxicity during PEG-V therapy. Conversely, patients with multi-therapies and with previous episodes of liver disease should be carefully managed, due to the observed association between these conditions and LFT abnormalities during PEG-V therapy.

Growth hormone receptor variants and response to pegvisomant in monotherapy or in combination with somatostatin analogs in acromegalic patients: a multicenter study.

CONTEXT: The influence of full-length GH receptor (GHR) and exon 3-deleted GHR (d3GHR) on responsiveness to pegvisomant (PEG-V) in acromegalic patients is uncertain. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to assess the distribution of GHR genotypes in a large series of patients on PEG-V therapy and their influence on treatment efficacy and adverse effects. DESIGN AND SETTING: A cross-sectional multicenter pharmacogenetic study was conducted in 16 Italian endocrinology centers of major universities and tertiary care hospitals. PATIENTS: The study included 127 acromegalic patients enrolled from 2009 to 2010 not cured by previous surgery, radiotherapy, and long-acting somatostatin (SST) analogs, treated with PEG-V. INTERVENTION AND MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Sixty-three of 127 patients received combined PEG-V + SST analog therapy. Clinical and hormonal data at diagnosis and before and during PEG-V therapy were inserted in a database. GHR exon 3 deletion and other polymorphisms were genotyped by the coordinator center. Differences in PEG-V dosage required for IGF-I normalization and occurrence of adverse effects between carriers and noncarriers of GHR variants were evaluated. RESULTS: d3GHR variants were not in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (P = 0.008). No association of these variants with PEG-V dose required for IGF-I normalization, adverse effects occurrence, and tumor regrowth was found in patients on PEG-V and on PEG-V + SST analog treatment. Similar data were obtained considering the GHR variant rs6180. CONCLUSIONS: This study did not confirm a better response of d3GHR to PEG-V treatment in acromegaly. Other studies are needed to determine whether deviation from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium may indicate an association of d3GHR genotype with poor response to usual treatments.

Predictors of morbidity and mortality in acromegaly: an Italian survey.

OBJECTIVE: To describe demographic and hormonal characteristics, comorbidities (diabetes mellitus and hypertension), therapeutic procedures and their effectiveness, as well as predictors of morbidity and mortality in a nationwide survey of Italian acromegalic patients. DESIGN: Retrospective multicenter epidemiological study endorsed by the Italian Society of Endocrinology and performed in 24 tertiary referral Italian centers. The mean follow-up time was 120 months. RESULTS: A total of 1512 patients, 41% male, mean age: 45±13 years, mean GH: 31±37 µg/l, IGF1: 744±318 ng/ml, were included. Diabetes mellitus was reported in 16% of cases and hypertension in 33%. Older age and higher IGF1 levels at diagnosis were significant predictors of diabetes and hypertension. At the last follow-up, 65% of patients had a controlled disease, of whom 55% were off medical therapy. Observed deaths were 61, with a standardized mortality ratio of 1.13 95% (confidence interval (CI): 0.87-1.46). Mortality was significantly higher in the patients with persistently active disease (1.93; 95% CI: 1.34-2.70). Main causes of death were vascular diseases and malignancies with similar prevalence. A multivariate analysis showed that older age, higher GH at the last follow-up, higher IGF1 levels at diagnosis, malignancy, and radiotherapy were independent predictors of mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Pretreatment IGF1 levels are important predictors of morbidity and mortality in acromegaly. The full hormonal control of the disease, nowadays reached in the majority of patients with modern management, reduces greatly the disease-related mortality.

Efficacy and safety of 48 weeks of treatment with octreotide LAR in newly diagnosed acromegalic patients with macroadenomas: an open-label, multicenter, non-comparative study.

The aim of the present multicentric, open-label, non-comparative study was to evaluate the role of octreotide long-acting repeatable (LAR) as primary therapy for the treatment of GH-secreting pituitary macroadenomas. The patients received octreotide LAR 20 mg every 4 weeks for 12 weeks; afterwards the dose was confirmed or adjusted at 30 mg every 4 weeks, for the remaining 12 weeks, for responder or non-responder patients, respectively. Responder patients continued the study until 48 weeks. Twenty-one naive active acromegalic patients were enrolled. In all patients, GH profile, IGF-I levels and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were evaluated at baseline and during treatment. The ability of octreotide LAR to decrease mean GH < 2.5 microg/I and/or normalize IGF-I levels, adjusted for age and gender, was defined respectively as total or partial success. Total success was achieved in 5/21 (23.8%), 6/20 (30%) and 4/14 (28.6%) patients after 12, 24 and 48 weeks; partial success in 7/21 (33.3%), 9/20 (45%) and 9/14 (64%) patients at 12, 24 and 48 weeks according to GH levels, while according to IGF-I levels in 7/21 (33.3%), 7/20 (35%) and 5/14 (35.7%) patients at 12, 24 and 48 week. Tumor size was notably decreased after treatment with octreotide LAR: in 16 macroadenoma patients completing the study, the tumor sizes were 1609 +/- 1288, 818 +/- 616 (49.1 +/- 23.7%) and 688 +/- 567 mm3 (54.6 +/- 24.4%) at baseline, 24 and 48 weeks. This study shows that octreotide LAR is effective in suppressing GH/IGF-I secretion and inducing tumor shrinkage in GH-secreting macroadenomas in a 48-week treatment. Octreotide LAR could be used as primary therapy in patients harbouring large pituitary tumors, who are less likely to be cured by neurosurgery.