Acromegaly & Clot Dynamics
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Elucidation of the potential cardiovascular risk factors and clot dynamics in patients with acromegaly
IRAS ID
174917
Contact name
Robert Douglas Murray
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
R&I Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 2 months, 31 days
Research summary
Patients with acromegaly (a rare condition associated with a pitutary tumour overproducing growth hormone) demonstrate an increased death rate related to cardiovascular diseases. A small number of studies have previously shown that patients with acromegaly have increased levels of factors that promote blood clot formation and factors that inhibit blood clot degradation. These abnormalities may increase the tendency of blood clot formation in this patient group, contributing to the increased cardiovascular risk that these individuals have. Although a number of surrogates of vascular risk are described in patients with acromegaly, how these translate mechanistically into atherothrombotic (blockage of the arteries) disease has not been fully elucidated.
This proposed study will analyse both traditional (body composition, serum lipids, handling of sugars) and more complex markers (inflammation, procoagulation, fibrinolysis) of vascular risk/disease. In addition the study will examine clot structure and function, as well as endothelial (inner lining of blood vessels) dysfunction. Measurements will be performed in a population of patients with previous history of acromegaly as well as in patients newly diagnosed with acromegaly.
The results of the study will characterise risk factors for vasculsr disease, and take this a step further to elucidate how these changes translate mechanistically in to vascular damage.REC name
North West - Greater Manchester West Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/NW/0400
Date of REC Opinion
5 Jun 2015
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion