Acromegaly is a rare disease caused, in the vast majority of cases, by a growth hormone (GH) secreting pituitary tumor. The excess of GH lead to an increased secretion of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) by the liver. Acromegaly is associated with several comorbidities (e.g., cardiovascular, metabolic, and osteoarticular diseases), impaired quality of life (QoL), and, if left untreated, increased mortality. The elevated circulating levels of both GH and IGF-1 contribute to the development of acromegaly comorbidities. The specific role of GH and/or IGF-1 in the pathogenesis of the different acromegaly comorbidities is not completely known yet. To assess disease control, the recent Consensus Statement recommend to monitor both GH and IGF-1 after surgery and during treatment with somatostatin receptor ligands. Discordant GH and IGF-1 values are frequent in acromegaly and have been reported in up to 52% of treated acromegaly patients.
The impact of discordant GH and IGF-1 values on acromegaly-related comorbidities, QoL and mortality has not been fully elucidated yet. To date, there is no consensus on how to manage discordant patients. With this Research Topic, the Topic Editors aim to foster knowledge on the differential role of GH and IGF-1 in acromegaly and its related impact on comorbidities and to better define the management of acromegaly patients with discordant GH/IGF-1 values.
Potential authors are welcome to submit either original research articles or reviews. The article will focus on the impact of biochemical discordance on patients’ management and on the differential role of GH and IGF-1 on different tissues and the consequent impact that the discordance between these hormones has on comorbidities onset.
Acromegaly is a rare disease caused, in the vast majority of cases, by a growth hormone (GH) secreting pituitary tumor. The excess of GH lead to an increased secretion of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) by the liver. Acromegaly is associated with several comorbidities (e.g., cardiovascular, metabolic, and osteoarticular diseases), impaired quality of life (QoL), and, if left untreated, increased mortality. The elevated circulating levels of both GH and IGF-1 contribute to the development of acromegaly comorbidities. The specific role of GH and/or IGF-1 in the pathogenesis of the different acromegaly comorbidities is not completely known yet. To assess disease control, the recent Consensus Statement recommend to monitor both GH and IGF-1 after surgery and during treatment with somatostatin receptor ligands. Discordant GH and IGF-1 values are frequent in acromegaly and have been reported in up to 52% of treated acromegaly patients.
The impact of discordant GH and IGF-1 values on acromegaly-related comorbidities, QoL and mortality has not been fully elucidated yet. To date, there is no consensus on how to manage discordant patients. With this Research Topic, the Topic Editors aim to foster knowledge on the differential role of GH and IGF-1 in acromegaly and its related impact on comorbidities and to better define the management of acromegaly patients with discordant GH/IGF-1 values.
Potential authors are welcome to submit either original research articles or reviews. The article will focus on the impact of biochemical discordance on patients’ management and on the differential role of GH and IGF-1 on different tissues and the consequent impact that the discordance between these hormones has on comorbidities onset.