High prevalence of vertebral fractures despite normal bone mineral density in patients with long-term controlled acromegaly

Abstract

There is a very high prevalence of VFs in acromegaly patients with long-term controlled disease, independently of BMD. In view of the significant morbidity and mortality associated with VFs in general and the inability of BMD to predict fracture risk in acromegalic patients, we propose to include VF assessment, for example by lateral conventional radiographs of the spine in the screening of patients with acromegaly, both at diagnosis and during follow-up after establishment of disease control.