Comparison of the Bone Mineral Density between Acromegaly Patients and Healthy Individuals

Introduction: Acromegaly patients have high bone turnover and negative calcium balance. Different studies have also reported that acromegaly causes disrupted calcium homeostasis and bone remodeling. Objective: The aim of this study was to compare bone mineral density between acromegaly patients and healthy individuals. Materials and Methods: Twenty-nine acromegaly patients referred to Imam Reza Hospital of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences were enrolled in this case-control study. Eighty-eight sex-, age-, and body mass index-matched individuals without any endocrine diseases were also considered as the control group. Lumbar (L2-L4) and hip bones’ densities were determined using a dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scan. Results: Lumbar T-score was significantly lower in acromegaly patients compared to healthy controls (-0.76±0.21 versus -0.13±0.18, p=0.042, respectively). However, the incidence of osteopenia and osteoporosis were not different in the studied population (p=0.072). Conclusion: Regarding our data, T-scores can be considered as a marker for response to therapy monitoring in acromegaly patients.