Cardiac Function and Morphology Evaluated by Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Growth Hormone Deficiency and Acromegaly

Impact of Growth Hormone on Serum N-Terminal Pro-B-Type Natriuretic Peptide (NT-proBNP) and on Cardiac Function and Morphology Evaluated by Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Growth Hormone Deficiency and Acromegaly

To test the hypothesis that both lack and excess of growth hormone (GH) is associated with cardiac abnormalities. Cardiac function and morphology will be evaluated by MRI before and after treatment.

It is an open prospective noninterventional clinical study. Treatment and follow-up will be according to usual guidelines, and will be unaffected by inclusion in the study. GHD patients will be treated with daily subcutaneous GH injections. Patients with acromegaly will be treated with either transsphenoidal surgery or by medical treatment with long acting somatostatin analogues, dopamine agonist, GH antagonist or combinations of these treatment modalities.

Patients will be examined by Cardiac MRI before treatment and after one year of treatment.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Peak GH below 6.0 ng/mL during Pyridostigmine-GHRH test.
• Nadir GH above 0.4 ng/mL and elevated levels of IGF-I during oral glucose tolerance test

Exclusion Criteria:

• Contraindications for magnetic resonance scan