title: Submandibular salivary gland volume is increased in patients with acromegaly.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Acromegaly is characterized by an enlargement of various organs. The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether acromegalic patients have an increased volume of submandibular salivary glands.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective study on 40 consecutive acromegalic patients (18 male, 22 female; mean age +/- SD, 50 +/- 13 years, range 22-74 years) submitted to submandibular salivary gland ultrasound. Among acromegalic patients, 15 had active and untreated disease (Acro-U), 13 were under long-acting somatostatin analogue therapy (Acro-SA), 12 were in remission after surgery (Acro-R). Two hundred subjects (90 male, 110 female, mean age +/- SD, 50 +/- 11 years, range 23-74 years) matched for age, sex and body mass index served as controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  Submandibular salivary gland volume was measured in all acromegalic patients and normal subjects by ultrasound and calculated by the ellipsoid model. Serum GH and IGF-I concentrations were measured in all subjects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Acro-U patients had higher serum IGF-I levels (691 +/- 235 microg/l) than Acro-R (174 +/- 74 microg/l), Acro-SA (436 +/- 239 microg/l) or controls (151 +/- 66 microg/l) (P < 0.0001, P = 0.008, P < 0.0001, respectively). The mean submandibular salivary gland volume was higher in acromegalic patients than in controls: Acro-U 18.1 +/- 3.3 ml, Acro-SA 16.2 +/- 3.3 ml, Acro-R 15.7 +/- 3.0 ml and controls 8.2 +/- 2.4 ml (P < 0.0001). Differences among subgroups of Acro patients were not significant. Enlargement of the submandibular salivary glands was present in 35/40 (87.5%) acromegalic patients. A positive correlation between serum IGF-I (P < 0.0001), GH (P < 0.0001) and submandibular salivary gland volume was found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Acromegalic patients have an increased volume of submandibular salivary glands, independently of the activity of disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, University of Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Manetti
authors.forename: Fausto
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bogazzi
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Brogioni
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Grasso
authors.forename: Isabella
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Lupi
authors.forename: Maura
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Genovesi
authors.forename: Elisabetta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cecconi
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gasperi
authors.forename: Enio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Martino
mesh_terms: D000172:Acromegaly / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013004:Somatostatin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013363:Submandibular Gland / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D013004:Somatostatin; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D013006:Growth Hormone