How often does arthropathy occur in acromegaly?
It is common and may be seen in up to 75% of affected patients. Degenerative disease is the most common manifestation and crepitus on exam the most common finding. The knees, shoulders, hips, lumbosacral, and cervical spine are the most frequently symptomatic areas, but the hands reveal the most characteristic radiographic changes. Clinical and radiographic changes occur due to excess growth hormone stimulating hepatocytes to produce somatomedin C (insulin-like growth factor), which affects osteocytes, chondrocytes, and fibroblasts.
