Usefulness of insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 levels to determine acromegaly activity and effectiveness of transsphenoidal pituitary surgery.
BACKGROUND
Several series reported in the literature concerning the results of the treatment of acromegaly have been difficult to evaluate because the indicators are inaccurate.


METHODS
We investigated the usefulness of insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP) levels to determine disease activity after surgical treatment of acromegaly in 13 patients with confirmed somatotroph adenoma.


RESULTS
Before surgery, all 13 non-treated patients had elevated serum levels of IGFBP-3 as well as total and free IGF-I. In addition, there was no overlap with the normal controls (p < 0.001). IGFBP-3 levels correlated significantly (0.91, p < 0.001) with GH suppressibility by glucose after surgery.


CONCLUSIONS
These data confirm that IGFBP-3 is a better indicator of acromegalic activity than either total or free IGF-I. There was a high correlation with GH suppressibility by glucose after surgery; both free and total IGF-I could be considered sensitive markers only for diagnosis of active acromegaly but not for efficacy of surgery.
Ochoa
R
R
Unidad de Investigación Médica en Enfermedades Endócrinas, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, México, D.F., Mexico.
Mercado
M
M
Chacón
X
X
Fonseca
E
E
Hernández
M
M
Zárate
A
A
D000172:Acromegaly / Q000378:metabolism*; D000236:Adenoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000601:surgery; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D018972:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3 / Q000378:metabolism*; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000601:surgery; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D013101:Sphenoid Sinus; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D018972:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3; D019382:Human Growth Hormone; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I