Distribution, severity, and management of joint pain in patients with acromegaly
Authors' conclusion
This study therefore highlights the burden of arthropathy in patients with acromegaly, estimates the need for therapeutic interventions, and the impact on health services.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with acromegaly in 6 UK endocrine centres; 210 female, median age 60 (IQR 50–69) years, median 13 (IQR 6–22) years since diagnosis210 female
- Participants
- 411 patients
- Outcome
- Joint pain
Methodological detailsmulticentre, questionnaire study, 6 UK endocrine centres, Demographics and laboratory data extracted from medical records
- Multicentre
- Questionnaire study
- 6 UK endocrine centres
- Demographics and laboratory data extracted from medical records
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
- Joint pain reported
- 82.5%
- Moderate joint pain
- 43.3%
- Severe joint pain
- 13.1%
- Knees affected
- 54.7%
- Lower back affected
- 47.7%
- Hips affected
- 38.9%
- Shoulders affected
- 38.6%
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Management of acromegaly-associated arthropathy (AcAA)
- Taking ≥1 analgesic
- 247 (60.1%)
- Taking ≥2 classes of analgesics
- 137 (33.3%)
- ≥1 joint injection (median 2, 1-20)
- 109 (26.5%)
- ≥1 joint prosthesis (median 2, 1-6), at median age 59 (32-82) years
- 70 (17.0%)
- Other forms of joint surgery
- 17.0%
Patients aged ≤50 years
- Moderate pain
- 36.4%
- Severe pain
- 10.3%
- Less pain, fewer joint injections and less joint surgery, but similar prevalence of analgesic use
Original publication
Distribution, severity, and management of joint pain in patients with acromegaly. Eur J Endocrinol. Published 5 March 2026. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →