Acromegaly Study Aims to Quantify Therapy Effects on Hand/Foot Dimensions and Gait via 3D Scanning

Acromegaly is a rare chronic disease characterized by excessive growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) secretion, primarily from a GH-secreting pituitary adenoma. This prolonged hormonal excess significantly increases patient mortality and morbidity. A common complication is arthropathy, affecting approximately 75% of acromegalic patients, leading to osteoarthritis, arthralgia, and heightened fracture risk. Understanding how existing therapies impact these specific physical manifestations is crucial for comprehensive patient management.

This project aimed to evaluate the physical manifestations of acromegaly. Researchers planned to measure the dimensions of hands and feet using a 3D scanner method and perform a quantitative analysis of movement via Gait Analysis technique. The study design included two patient groups: de novo acromegaly patients (group #1) and patients with varying disease statuses (group #2), presumably to observe the effects of different therapeutic approaches on these morpho-functional parameters.

The provided abstract outlines the aims of this project rather than presenting specific results or findings. It details the methodologies planned for evaluating acromegaly patients, including 3D scanner method for acral dimensions and Gait Analysis technique for movement. No data, statistical analyses, or quantitative outcomes from the study are reported within this abstract. Therefore, no concrete findings regarding the effects of therapies on acromegaly patients' morpho-functional parameters can be extracted or reported at this stage.