title: Procalcitonin can be used as a marker of premature atherosclerosis in acromegaly.
abstract: The objective of the study was to evaluate arterial morphologic changes of early atherosclerosis and changes in procalcitonin (PCT) levels in patients with acromegaly according to disease activity. Thirty-three active and 20 inactive acromegaly patients followed at Endocrinology-Metabolism out-patient clinic of Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty between 2004 and 2008 were included in the study. Twenty gender and age matched healthy subjects were included as the control group. Intima-media thickness (IMT) of the carotid arteries was measured by ultrasonography. Blood was drawn for biochemical tests and the serum concentrations of C-reactive protein (CRP) and PCT. Intergroup analysis revealed no significant differences between Growth hormone (GH), insulin like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), and IMT (P = 0.42, P = 0.47 respectively). No significant differences were found in the fibrinogen, CRP and PCT levels of the acromegaly patients and the subjects in the control group (P = 0.57, P = 0.84, P = 0.68 respectively). In the patients with IMT ≥ 1 mm, PCT (0.4 [IQR: 0.4-0.55]) levels were significantly different from the patients without atherosclerosis (0.06 [IQR: 0.05-0.12], P < 0.001). The correlation between IMT and PCT (P = 0.001, r = 0.47) was more significant than the correlation between IMT and CRP (P = 0.01, r = 0.28). There was a positive correlation between IMT and atherosclerotic risk factors such as age (P = 0.01, r = 0.27) and body mass index (BMI; P = 0.005, r = 0.32). Our results showed that PCT increases before CRP and it can be useful for the assessment of premature atherosclerosis in acromegaly as well.
authors: Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Cerrahpasa Medical School, University of Istanbul, Cerrahpasa Tip Fakültesi, Ic Hastalıkları Anabilim Dali, Endokrinoloji-Metabolizma ve Diyabet Bilim Dali, Cerrahpasa, 34303, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Ozkan
authors: O
authors: O
authors: Celik
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Hatipoglu
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Kantarci
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Kadioglu
mesh_terms: D000172:Acromegaly / Q000097:blood*; D000328:Adult; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D002116:Calcitonin / Q000097:blood*; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D005260:Female; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000097:blood*; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C000606589:CALCA protein, human; D011498:Protein Precursors; D019382:Human Growth Hormone; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D002116:Calcitonin; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide