Heel pad thickness is an insensitive index of biochemical remission in acromegaly.

Abstract

The value of serial measurements of heel pad thickness as a clinical predictor of biochemical remission in acromegaly was assessed in 25 patients followed for up to 20 years after treatment by interstitial irradiation using yttrium-90 implantation. Growth hormone (GH) levels fell to 50% of baseline values within 12 months of therapy (P less than 0.001) and to 21% at 5 years, reaching normal levels after 10 years, constituting a biochemical cure maintained to the end of the study period. By contrast, heel pad thickness remained relatively stable, falling to 95% of baseline after 5 years (P less than 0.05) and to 87% after 20 years. There was no overall correlation between the measured parameters (r = 0.033, P greater than 0.05) suggesting that heel pad thickness is a poor predictor of biochemical remission in acromegaly.

• Authors: J E MacSweeney, M A Baxter, G F Joplin
• Journal: Clinical radiology (Clin Radiol) Vol. 42 Issue 5 Pg. 348-50 (Nov 1990) ISSN: 0009-9260 [Print] England
• PMID: 2245573 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Yttrium Radioisotopes
• Growth Hormone

Topics

• Acromegaly (blood, pathology, radiotherapy)
• Adult
• Anthropometry
• Brachytherapy
• Female
• Follow-Up Studies
• Growth Hormone (blood)
• Heel (pathology)
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Regression Analysis
• Yttrium Radioisotopes (therapeutic use)