title: Vertebral fractures in patients with acromegaly: a 3-year prospective study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cross-sectional studies showed an elevated prevalence of vertebral fractures in acromegaly. However, no data are available on incident vertebral fractures in this clinical setting.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objective of the study was to investigate the incidence and risk factors of vertebral fractures in patients with acromegaly.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a 3-year prospective study.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted at referral centers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty-eight patients with acromegaly (33 females, 55 males; mean age 50 years, range 21-85 years) and 106 control subjects, matched for sex and age (43 females and 63 males, mean age 55 years, range 33-79 years), attending outpatient bone clinics participated in the study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients and control subjects were evaluated for the incidence of vertebral fractures using a quantitative morphometric approach on spine x-ray, which was performed at baseline and after 3 years of follow-up. At the same time points, patients with acromegaly were also evaluated for bone mineral density with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry at lumbar spine and femoral neck.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After a 3-year follow-up, 37 patients with acromegaly (42.0%) and 4 control subjects (3.8%) experienced incident vertebral fractures (P < .001). The incidence of vertebral fractures was significantly higher in patients with active disease as compared with those who had controlled/cured acromegaly at the study entry (62.5% vs 25.0%; P < .001). The risk of incident vertebral fractures was significantly associated with hypogonadism, a change in the femoral neck bone mineral density, and prevalent vertebral fractures at the study entry only in patients with controlled/cured acromegaly, whereas in patients with active disease, the fracture risk was not influenced by the above-mentioned clinical factors, but it was significantly associated with the duration of active acromegaly.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This prospective study demonstrates a high rate of incident vertebral fractures both in patients with active and controlled acromegaly.
authors.affiliation: Chair of Endocrinology, University of Brescia, Endocrine Service, Spedali Civili, 25125 Brescia, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mazziotti
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bianchi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Porcelli
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mormando
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Maffezzoni
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cristiano
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giampietro
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: De Marinis
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giustina
mesh_terms: D000172:Acromegaly / Q000150:complications*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015519:Bone Density; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000032:analysis; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016103:Spinal Fractures / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I