We have studied the physiological and clinical relevance of measurements of serum total and free IGF-I and IGF-binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) in 57 previously untreated patients with active acromegaly (32 males, 25 females; mean age 47 years) as compared with sex- and age-matched normal healthy controls. Serum total and free IGF-I, but not IGFBP-3, are suitable biochemical parameters for screening for acromegaly. In acromegalics, the mean 24 h serum GH, total IGF-I and IGFBP-3 levels tend to decrease with age. However, in our series of patients, mean 24 h serum GH levels, IGFBP-3, total and free IGF-I do not correlate with disease activity in acromegaly.

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hdl.handle.net/1765/9120
Journal of Endocrinology
Erasmus MC: University Medical Center Rotterdam

van der Lely, A.-J., de Herder, W., Janssen, J., & Lamberts, S. (1997). Acromegaly: the significance of serum total and free IGF-I and IGF-binding protein-3 in diagnosis. Journal of Endocrinology. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/1765/9120