A recent study published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism analyzed the use of digital voice analysis as a biomarker of acromegaly.
Acromegaly is an endocrine disorder resulting from the overproduction of growth hormone in the pituitary gland. The condition is usually caused by pituitary adenomas. Rarely, it is caused by tumors of the pancreas, lungs, and other parts of the brain. Signs and symptoms include abnormal growth and swelling of the hands and feet, bone changes that alter various facial features, arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, and enlargement of body organs. Patients with acromegaly often face diagnostic delays, leading to increased morbidity.
Due to bone changes, such as orofacial and laryngeal changes, acromegaly commonly causes voice change. The objective of this study was to explore the use of digital voice analysis as a biomarker for acromegaly. Voice recordings from 151 participants with acromegaly were assessed and compared with 139 matched control recordings.
It was observed that the machine learning model identified patients with acromegaly more accurately than experienced endocrinologists. Self-reported voice problems were more pronounced in patients with acromegaly than matched controls. Patients with acromegaly also had a higher prevalence of clinically significant voice handicap at 22.5% compared to 3.6% in the matched controls.
From this study, it can be concluded that digital voice analysis can be helpful in identifying patients with acromegaly due to these patients experiencing more voice disorders.
To learn more about acromegaly and other rare endocrine disorders, visit https://checkrare.com/diseases/endocrine-disorders/
References
Vouzouneraki K, et al. Digital Voice Analysis as a Biomarker of Acromegaly. 2025. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. https://doi.org/10.1210/clinem/dgae689