How is the insulin resistance characterized in patients with acromegaly?

Insulin resistance in patients with acromegaly is primarily characterized by decreased peripheral glucose uptake. Acromegaly is a disorder caused by excess growth hormone, often due to a pituitary adenoma. Growth hormone antagonizes the action of insulin, particularly in peripheral tissues such as muscle and adipose tissue, leading to diminished glucose uptake.

As a result, tissues become less responsive to insulin, which impairs their ability to take up glucose effectively. This decreased peripheral glucose uptake contributes to hyperglycemia and often leads to the development of type 2 diabetes in affected individuals. The understanding of this mechanism is crucial because it highlights how growth hormone's effects on glucose metabolism can lead to significant metabolic disturbances in patients with acromegaly.

Other options, such as increased adipose tissue glucose uptake or increased hepatic insulin sensitivity, are contrary to what occurs in insulin resistance associated with acromegaly. In fact, insulin resistance is characterized by a reduced ability of insulin to facilitate glucose uptake in response to normal or elevated insulin levels, further supporting why decreased peripheral glucose uptake is the hallmark of insulin resistance in these patients.