Role of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring in patients with acromegaly.

Abstract

Hypertension is associated with increased cardiovascular deaths in patients with acromegaly. To evaluate the accuracy of blood pressure (BP) by 24-h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) and office BP measurements to represent the real BP status in acromegalic patients and its relationship with acromegalic activity and echocardiogram parameters. Cohort of 37 patients with acromegaly in a tertiary endocrine outpatient service. Twenty-three percent of the patients were considered hypertensive by ABPM versus 32% by office BP measurements (P = 0.006). BP obtained from the ABPM was associated with growth hormone, insulin-like growth factor type 1 levels and echocardiogram parameters of acromegalic myocardiopathy. Nondipper behavior presented a significant association with the hormonal profile. BP levels assessed by ABPM were associated with acromegalic activity and echocardiogram parameters. ABPM can correctly identify BP levels and their repercussion on acromegalic patients.