Remission outcome in 46 patients who underwent transsphenoidal surgery for acromegaly in a single center

Background: Surgical remission rates varies depending on surgeon experience, tumor size and biochemical criteria. Overall rates have been reported from 52 to 71% of remission after transsphenoidal surgery.Objective: assessment of surgical therapy results in 46 acromegalic patients operated on from 1982 to 2006. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 46 acromegalic patients who underwent transsphenoidal surgery, performed by the same surgeon, in our center. The remission criteria was defined as GH nadir levels less than 0,76 ng/dl, measured through chemiluminescence method (Immulite 2000) and a normal sex and age-adjusted IGF-I levels. Results: Patients mean age at diagnosis of acromegaly was 46 years, 54% were female; 14 (30%) and 32 (69%) of all patients present with diabetes and hypertension, respectively. Eleven (23%) patients had microadenoma and 35 (77%) had macroadenoma. Extrasellar growth of the tumor occurred in 8 (17%) patients. The median duration of follow up was 5 years (3 months to 24 years). After transsphenoidal surgery 69.6% of the patients achieved a biochemical remission. Remission rate was 100% for patients with microadenoma and 60% for those with macroadenoma. There was no significant difference between GH basal levels before surgery in the remission group comparing to the group not