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Acromegaly is a chronic metabolic disorder in which there is too much growth hormone and the body tissues gradually enlarge.
Alternative NamesSomatotroph adenoma; Growth hormone excess; Pituitary giant
Causes, incidence, and risk factorsAcromegaly occurs in about 6 of every 100,000 adults. It is caused by abnormal production of growth hormone after the skeleton and other organs finish growing.
Excessive production of growth hormone in children causes gigantism rather than acromegaly.
The cause of the increased growth hormone release is usually a noncancerous (benign) tumor of the pituitary gland. The pituitary gland, which is located just below the brain, controls the production and release of several different hormones, including growth hormone.
Symptoms- Body odor
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Decreased muscle strength (weakness)
- Easy fatigue
- Enlarged bones of the face
- Enlarged feet
- Enlarged hands
- Enlarged glands in the skin (sebaceous glands)
- Enlarged jaw (prognathism) and tongue
- Excessive height (when excess growth hormone production begins in childhood)
- Excessive sweating
- Headache
- Hoarseness
- Joint pain
- Limited joint movement
- Sleep apnea
- Swelling of the bony areas around a joint
- Thickening of the skin, skin tags
- Widely spaced teeth
- Widened fingers or toes due to skin overgrowth with swelling, redness, and pain
Other symptoms that may occur with this disease:
- Excess hair growth in females
- Weight gain (unintentional)
- High growth hormone level
- High insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) level
- Spine x-rayshows abnormal bone growth
- Pituitary MRI may show a pituitary tumor
- Echocardiogrammay show an enlarged heart, leaky mitral valve, or leaky aortic valve
This disease may also change the results of the following tests:
TreatmentSurgery to remove the pituitary tumor causing this condition corrects the abnormal growth hormone secretion in most patients. This surgery may not be available to patients in remote locations, so travel to a larger metropolitan area may be necessary for treatment.
Radiation of the pituitary gland is used for people who do not respond to the surgical treatment. However, the reduction in growth hormone levels after radiation is very slow.
The following medications may be used to treat acromegaly:
- Octreotide (Sandostatin) or bromocriptine (Parlodel) may control growth hormone release in some people.
- Pegvisomant (Somavert) directly blocks the effects of growth hormone, and has been shown to improve symptoms of acromegaly.
These medications may be used before surgery, or when surgery is not possible.
After treatment, periodic evaluation is necessary to ensure that the pituitary gland is working normally. Yearly evaluations are recommended.
Expectations (prognosis)Pituitary surgery is successful in most patients, depending on the size of the tumor and the experience of the surgeon.
Without treatment the symptoms will get worse, and the risk of cardiovasculardisease increases.
Complications- Arthritis
- Cardiovascular disease
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Colonic polyps
- Glucose intolerance or diabetes
- High blood pressure
- Hypopituitarism
- Sleep apnea
- Spinal cord compression
- Uterine fibroids
- Vision abnormalities
Call your health care provider if you have symptoms of acromegaly, or if your symptoms do not improve with treatment.
PreventionThere are no methods to prevent the condition, but early treatment may prevent complications of the disease from getting worse.
ReferencesMelmed S, Kleinberg D. Anterior pituitary. In: Kronenberg HM, Melmed S, Polonsky KS, Larsen PR, eds. Williams Textbook of Endocrinology. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Saunders Elsevier; 2008:chap 8.
What else can I help you with?
Make a sentence with this word acromegaly?
Acromegaly is a disease, so you could write something like this: "Acromegaly is a hereditary disease which concerns the extremities of the body".
What are some causes of acromegaly?
Acromegaly is caused by prolonged overproduction of GH by the pituitary gland.
The hormonal disorder that results from too much growth hormone in adults is known as?
acromegaly
Is acromegaly contagious?
No, acromegaly is not contagious. It is a rare hormonal disorder caused by the overproduction of growth hormone in the pituitary gland. Acromegaly typically results from a noncancerous tumor in the pituitary gland.
Acromegaly is the result of the hypersecretion hormone true or false?
Acromegaly is the result of hypersecretion of growth hormone
What is the causes of acromegaly?
Acromegaly is a disease caused by an abnormal increase in growth hormones after puberty. The bones get thicker, and the lips, nose, jaw, and tongue get larger. Life expectancy is generally shorter in people with acromegaly than in those without. Acromegaly is usually caused by a tumor of the pituitary gland. It is usually treated by surgical resection and radiation therapy, but tumors often reoccur.
Does Zhang Jun-Cai have acromegaly?
Maybe because his incredible height was caused by pituitary gigantism and that disorder often leads to acromegaly (although not necessarily).
What does acromegalic mean?
Acromegalic means "pertaining to or characteristic of acromegaly", or a person affected by acromegaly, a disease involving enlargement of the bones of the hands, feet, face and jaw.
What causes hands and jaw to grow large?
Acromegaly
Which president was thought to have acromegaly?
John F Kennedy? Abraham Lincoln is thought to have suffered from Marfan's Syndrome, acromegaly, which is an adrenal disorder connected with what sometimes is called "gigantism". John Kennedy had adrenal disorders but he did not exhibit signs of acromegaly. Cushings disease has been mentioned in books about Kennedy.
How can acromegaly be treated?
The first step in treatment of acromegaly is removal of all or part of the pituitary adenoma. Removal requires surgery, usually performed by entering the skull through the nose
What does acromegaly affect?
The pituitary gland is primarily involved in this disorder.
