Submandibular salivary gland volume is increased in patients with acromegaly

Summary objective Acromegaly is characterized by an enlargement of various organs. The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether acromegalic patients have an increased volume of submandibular salivary glands. design and subjects Prospective study on 40 consecutive acromegalic patients (18 male, 22 female; mean age ± SD, 50 ± 13 years, range 22–74 years) submitted to submandibular salivary gland ultrasound. Among acromegalic patients, 15 had active and untreated disease (Acro‐U), 13 were under long‐acting somatostatin analogue therapy (Acro‐SA), 12 were in remission after surgery (Acro‐R). Two hundred subjects (90 male, 110 female, mean age ± SD, 50 ± 11 years, range 23–74 years) matched for age, sex and body mass index served as controls. measurements Submandibular salivary gland volume was measured in all acromegalic patients and normal subjects by ultrasound and calculated by the ellipsoid model. Serum GH and IGF‐I concentrations were measured in all subjects. results Acro‐U patients had higher serum IGF‐I levels (691 ± 235 µg/l) than Acro‐R (174 ± 74 µg/l), Acro‐SA (436 ± 239 µg/l) or controls (151 ± 66 µg/l) ( P < 0·0001, P = 0·008, P < 0·0001, respectively). The mean submandibular salivary gland volume was higher in acromegalic patients than in controls: Acro‐U 18·1 ± 3·3 ml, Acro‐SA 16·2 ± 3·3 ml, Acro‐R 15·7 ± 3·0 ml and controls 8·2 ± 2·4 ml ( P < 0·0001). Differences among subgroups of Acro patients were not significant. Enlargement of the submandibular salivary glands was present in 35/40 (87·5%) acromegalic patients. A positive correlation between serum IGF‐I ( P < 0·0001), GH ( P < 0·0001) and submandibular salivary gland volume was found. conclusions Acromegalic patients have an increased volume of submandibular salivary glands, independently of the activity of disease.