Study on the Effects of Medical and Surgical Therapies on Hand and Foot Changes in Adults with Acromegaly

What this Trial Is About

Acromegaly is a rare chronic condition caused mainly by a growth hormone-secreting pituitary tumor, leading to excess growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor-I. This excess results in increased health risks including joint problems like osteoarthritis and higher fracture risk. Researchers are studying how acromegaly and its treatments affect the size and function of patients hands and feet using advanced scanning and movement analysis techniques, comparing new patients with those at different disease stages. This observational study uses a portable 3D laser scanning system to measure the geometric and volume characteristics of hands and feet. It also employs gait analysis technology to assess posture, balance, and walking patterns. Patients undergo various tests including standing with eyes open and closed, walking barefoot, and functional evaluations of foot and hand joint angles. These assessments are supported by video analysis and questionnaires that evaluate hand function. Participants will be assessed at the start and, for new patients receiving medical or surgical therapy, again at 3, 6, and 12 months after treatment begins. Researchers will measure changes in growth hormone and IGF-1 levels, posture control, gait parameters, and joint function of the hands and feet. This comprehensive evaluation helps understand how acromegaly and its treatments impact extremity morphology and movement over time.

Effects of Therapies in the Acromegaly Disease: Acral Morpho-functional Study