Serum visfatin levels in acromegaly: Correlation with disease activity and metabolic alterations

• Published in: Growth hormone & IGF research 2015-10, Vol.25 (5), p.240-246
• Main Authors: Ciresi, A, Amato, M.C, Pizzolanti, G, Giordano, C
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acromegaly; Acromegaly - blood; Acromegaly - pathology; Acromegaly - therapy; Adipokines; Adipokines - blood; Adiposity; Adult; Advanced Basic Science; Aged; Biomarkers - blood; Cholesterol, HDL - blood; Cross-Sectional Studies; Cytokines - blood; Endocrinology & Metabolism; Fatty Acids, Nonesterified - blood; Female; Growth hormone; Humans; Insulin Resistance; Leptin - blood; Male; Middle Aged; Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase - blood; Triglycerides - blood
• ISSN: 1096-6374; 1532-2238
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ghir.2015.07.002

Abstract Objective The studies that have extensively evaluated the relation between adipokines and metabolic parameters in acromegaly treatment are quite discordant. We aimed to evaluate and correlate a set of selected adipokines, known to have a metabolic role, with the disease activity, metabolic status and treatment modalities. Design Data of 56 consecutive acromegalic patients (31 M and 25 F; aged 54 ± 12 years), admitted to the section of Endocrinology of the University of Palermo during the years 2005–2014, including 16 newly diagnosed untreated ( ND ), 21 during therapy with somatostatin analogues ( SA ), 12 with pegvisomant ( PE ) and 7 after surgical treatment ( SU ), grouped into uncontrolled ( group A : No. 33) and controlled ( group B : No. 23) were evaluated. Anthropometric and metabolic parameters, insulin sensitivity indexes, visceral adiposity index (VAI), leptin, soluble leptin receptor, adiponectin, visfatin, resistin, adipsin and non-esterified fatty acids (NEFAs) were assessed. In a subgroup of 21 subjects, the insulin sensitivity index (M value) derived from euglycemic clamp was calculated. Results Group A showed higher Homa-IR (p < 0.001), VAI (p < 0.001), triglycerides (p < 0.001), visfatin (p < 0.001), and NEFAs (p < 0.001) and lower ISI Matsuda (p < 0.001), M value (p < 0.001), HDL cholesterol (p < 0.001) and leptin (p < 0.001) than group B. ND patients showed higher VAI, triglycerides, Homa-IR, and visfatin and lower ISI Matsuda, M-value, and leptin compared to other groups (all p < 0.050), while no differences were found among SA , PE and SU patients. IGF-1 (p = 0.048), M-value (p = 0.0029) and VAI (p = 0.010) were independently associated with visfatin, while only ISI Matsuda (p = 0.019) was associated with leptin. Conclusions In acromegaly visfatin could be considered a useful index of disease activity and metabolic alterations, such as insulin resistance and adipose dysfunction, regardless of the type of treatment.