Prevalence of diabetes in acromegaly and Cushing's disease

In a retrospective study glucose metabolism was investigated in 206 patients with acromegaly and 131 patients with Cushing's disease. 40.5 % of the patients with hypersomatotropism and 32.0 % of the patients with hypercortisolism suffered from overt diabetes mellitus. Impaired glucose tolerance was present prior to therapy in 28.2 % and 30.6 % of the patients, respectively. In acromegaly the incidence of overt diabetes mellitus was higher in women than in men, but no difference existed in the distribution of impaired glucose tolerance between both sexes. No correlation was found between growth hormone levels and occurrence of diabetes. In acromegaly and Cushing's disease overt diabetes increased with advanced age. Diabetes mellitus occurred independently from the etiology of hypercortisolism.