Serum markers of cardiovascular risk in patients with acromegaly before and after six months of treatment with octreotide LAR

Acromegaly is associated with increased morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular disease. Inflammatory markers, such as C-reactive protein and leucocyte count, haemostatic markers, such as fibrinogen and factor VIII and cardiac hypertrophy marker, B-type natriuretic peptide, have emerged as important cardiovascular risk markers in the general population. The objective of this study was to assess the serum levels of conventional, inflammatory, haemostatic markers and NT-pro BNP in mostly non-diabetic normotensive patients with acromegaly, as well as the effect of 6 months of octreotide LAR therapy on these markers. We studied 12 patients with active acromegaly, 12 patients in whom remission of acromegaly had been achieved by surgery and 12 healthy control subjects matched for age, gender and body mass index. At baseline fasting blood was obtained for measurements of GH, IGF-1, glucose, insulin, lipids, lipoprotein (a), C-reactive protein, leucocyte count, fibrinogen, factor VIII and NT-pro BNP. After baseline evaluation, patients with active acromegaly were treated with octreotide LAR for 24 weeks. At 24 weeks, measurements were repeated as on baseline. Insulin resistance index and fibrinogen levels were higher in patients with active acromegaly than patients and subjects in control groups. CRP, leucocyte count, factor VIII and NT-pro BNP were similar in the three groups. Octreotide LAR reduced GH, IGF-1 and insulin resistance index but did not alter levels of CRP and NT-pro BNP.