title: Insulin-like growth factor-I: marker for diagnosis of acromegaly and monitoring the efficacy of treatment.
abstract: Acromegaly is caused by chronic excess secretion of growth hormone (GH) and resultant persistent elevation in concentrations of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), also called somatomedin-C. A number of diagnostic tests are available to support the diagnosis of acromegaly, but those that rely on measurement of serum GH concentrations have important limitations. Concentrations of serum IGF-I, which is produced principally in the liver and mediates the actions of GH, have been shown to correlate with clinical and metabolic markers of disease activity. Additionally, normalisation of IGF-I levels in acromegaly is associated with the resolution of symptoms and normal life expectancy. Thus, serum IGF-I is an important marker of disease activity and a sensitive, practical, and reliable measure of integrated GH concentrations in patients with acromegaly.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Germany. brabant.georg@mh-hannover.de
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Brabant
mesh_terms: D000172:Acromegaly / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D018972:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3 / Q000097:blood; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000378:metabolism*; D011863:Radioimmunoassay
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D018972:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3; D019382:Human Growth Hormone; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; C406545:pegvisomant