Prostatic hyperplasia in acromegaly, a myth or reality: a case–control study

Abstract

ContextDisorders of the prostate gland are more prevalent in patients with acromegaly. GH–insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) axis plays an additive role in prostatic growth and development.ObjectiveTo correlate the structural and histopathological changes of the prostate and prostatic symptoms with GH/IGF1 in patients with acromegaly.DesignCase–control study, from January 2012 to November 2013.SettingTertiary referral centre university hospital in Northern India.PatientsFifty-three men with acromegaly and 50 healthy men matched for age and BMI.Main outcome measuresInternational Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels, dimensions of the prostate on trans-rectal ultrasonography, parameters on uroflowmetry, and immunopositivity with anti-IGF1 antibody in prostatic tissue biopsies.ResultsDespite low serum testosterone levels (8.9 nmol/l vs 14.3 nmol/l, acromegaly vs control), patients with acromegaly had marginally higher IPSS, PSA levels, and grades of enlarged prostate and obstructive features on uroflowmetry compared with controls. Dimensions of the prostate on ultrasonography were also significantly higher in patients. These changes were present irrespective of age, current gonadal status, and disease activity. Evidence of prostatic hyperplasia on biopsy was seen in six of 14 patients (42.8%) who underwent prostatic biopsy while it was absent in the controls. Immunohistochemistry with anti-IGF1 antibody showed moderate positivity in all the 14 patients who underwent biopsy with benign prostatic hyperplasia, compared with mild positivity in 21% of controls. Similarly, 14 control patients with prostatic malignancies showed variable positivity, four patients had strong, two each had mild and moderate positivity, while six were negative.ConclusionsIn patients with acromegaly, there is a higher frequency of structural changes in the prostate, along with greater prostatic volume and obstructive features, compared with healthy controls, irrespective of age, gonadal status, and disease activity.