# A Review on Coexisting Giants: The Interplay Between Acromegaly and Diabetes Mellitus

## TL;DR

This review explores the connection between acromegaly and diabetes mellitus, focusing on how they interact and affect glucose metabolism.

## Contribution

The paper compiles existing studies to clarify the relationship and treatment impacts on glucose homeostasis in acromegaly-associated diabetes.

## Key findings

- Acromegaly is linked to an increased risk of diabetes mellitus due to elevated IGF-1 levels.
- Both nonpharmacologic and pharmacologic treatments have distinct effects on glucose metabolism in these patients.
- Managing acromegaly-associated diabetes is crucial for reducing cardiovascular risks and improving patient outcomes.

## Abstract

Acromegaly is a rare disease caused mainly by pituitary adenoma, which results in elevated growth hormone (GH) levels and its primary mediator, insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1). The condition causes various complications, including cardiovascular, respiratory, neuropsychiatric, metabolic, and gastrointestinal complications, which affect the patient's quality of life. Metabolically, there has been an increased incidence of acromegaly-associated diabetes mellitus (DM), IGF-1 being the primary mediator, affecting the patient's overall morbidity/mortality and associated surge in cardiovascular events. In the current state of medicine, both nonpharmacologic and pharmacologic approaches in managing acromegaly-associated DM are validated, having their own individualistic positive or negative impact on glucose metabolism. This review article has compiled studies to demonstrate a link between acromegaly. It summarises the existing data on acromegaly associated with DM, explicitly understanding the effect of various medical treatments on glucose homeostasis.