Cutaneous findings in patients with acromegaly and its relationship with concomitant endocrinopathies
Authors' conclusion
Cutaneous androgenization findings such as skin tag, seborrhoea, acne and acanthosis nigricans are common in patients with acromegaly. Clinicians should be aware that skin findings associated with insulin resistance may develop in these patients. It can be said that the remission state in acromegaly has no curative effect on cutaneous findings. Only patients in remission were less likely to have hypertrichosis. This may allow earlier review of the follow-up and treatment of acromegaly patients presenting with complaints of hypertrichosis. Additionally, it can be said that patients with skin findings such as cherry angioma may be predisposed to a second endocrinopathy, especially hypothyroidism. Including dermatology in a multidisciplinary perspective in acromegaly patient management would be beneficial to detect cutaneous findings earlier.
Study context
- Population
- Patients aged >18 years with acromegaly followed up in 14 tertiary healthcare institutions, referred to a dermatologist for examination
- Participants
- 278 patients
- Outcome
- Cutaneous findings (frequency of skin lesions) in acromegaly
Methodological details14 tertiary healthcare institutions
- 14 tertiary healthcare institutions
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
- Skin tags
- 52.5%
- Cherry angiomas
- 47.4%
- Seborrhoea
- 37%
- Varicose veins
- 33%
- Acneiform lesions
- 28.8%
- Hyperhidrosis
- 26.9%
- Hypertrichosis
- 18.3%
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Skin findings by remission status
- Hypertrichosis significantly more prevalent in nonremitted patients
- p: .001
- Xerosis cutis significantly more prevalent in remitted patients
- p: .001
Skin findings and concomitant endocrinopathies
- Hypothyroidism more frequent with cherry angioma than without
- p: .024
- Hyperthyroidism more frequent with cherry angioma than without
- p: .034
- Galactorrhea more frequent with cherry angioma than without
- p: .027
- Hypogonadism more frequent with xerosis cutis than without
- p: .035
- DM and hypothyroidism significantly more frequent in patients with varicose veins and seborrhoeic keratosis than without
Original publication
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