The main difference between Acromegaly
Acromegaly
A rare condition which results from excessive production of growth hormone by the pituitary gland.
What does acromegaly affect in the body?
Symptoms of acromegaly include abnormal enlargement in bones of the hands, arms, feet, legs and head. Enlargement of the bones in the jaws and in the front of the skull are typically the most apparent bony changes. Acromegaly may also cause thickening of the soft tissues of the body, including the heart, lips and tongue.
What is the prognosis of gigantism?
When the condition is successfully treated, children with gigantism can have a normal life expectancy and avoid most of the complications caused by it. However, they may still have symptoms such as muscle weakness and restricted movement, and some may also have psychological problems.
Is Acromegaly life threatening?
This is not a common disorder and physical changes gradually occur so it can take a long time to recognize. If acromegaly is not treated, it can lead to serious illness and can become life threatening. Causes of Acromegaly Acromegaly is the result of the overproduction of human growth hormone (HRH) by the pituitary gland.
What are the signs and symptoms of gigantism?
What are the signs and symptoms of Pediatric Acromegaly (Gigantism)? Early voice changes in boys; Enlarged facial features; Enlarged hands and feet; Enlarged organs (heart, liver, kidneys, etc.) Enlarged tongue; Enlarged vocal cords; Excessive sweating; Fatigue (extreme tiredness) Headaches; Joint pain; Large chest size (barrel chest) Oily or thick skin
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What is acromegaly in simple terms?
Acromegaly is a rare condition where the body produces too much growth hormone, causing body tissues and bones to grow more quickly. Over time, this leads to abnormally large hands and feet, and a wide range of other symptoms. Acromegaly is usually diagnosed in adults aged 30 to 50, but it can affect people of any age.
Are people with acromegaly tall?
Height may reach 7 or 8 feet. Low levels of gonadotropin (gonad stimulating) hormones may be secreted by the pituitary gland later in the course of this disorder and result in low levels of hormone secretions by the ovaries or testes.
Do people with gigantism continue to grow?
In children, the condition is called gigantism. In adults, it is called acromegaly. Excessive growth hormone is almost always caused by a noncancerous (benign) pituitary tumor. Children develop great stature, and adults develop deformed bones but do not grow taller.
Is acromegaly painful?
joint pain: Acromegaly often causes the bones and cartilage to grow too much, making it painful to move. deeper voice: The sinuses and vocal cords can become enlarged, which will change the way your voice sounds.
What famous person had acromegaly?
Acromegaly is a rare endocrine disease made famous by people including pro wrestler Andre the Giant, actor Fred Gwynne (Herman Munster), and actor Ted Cassidy (Lurch from “The Addams Family”). The event is held every two years.
What are the features of acromegaly?
Manifestations of acromegaly are varied and include acral and soft tissue overgrowth, joint pain, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and heart and respiratory failure. Acromegaly is a disabling disease that is associated with increased morbidity and reduced life expectancy.
How old does gigantism live?
When the condition is successfully treated, children with gigantism can have a normal life expectancy and avoid most of the complications caused by it. However, they may still have symptoms such as muscle weakness and restricted movement, and some may also have psychological problems.
Why do people with gigantism live shorter lives?
The life span of pituitary giants is shorter than normal because of their greater susceptibility to infection and metabolic disorders.
How long do people with acromegaly live?
Overall standardized mortality rates are approximately two times higher than in the general population, relating to an average reduction in life expectancy of around 10 years. The excess deaths are due predominantly to cardiovascular, cerebrovascular and respiratory disease.
Who is most likely to get acromegaly?
Who is more likely to develop acromegaly? Acromegaly is most often diagnosed in middle-aged adults, but symptoms can appear at any age. In children, too much growth hormone causes a condition called gigantism link rather than acromegaly.
Is acromegaly reversible?
As acromegalic skeletal abnormalities are rather irreversible, apneic episodes may persist after normalization of hormonal levels. Aggressive therapy, including surgery, pharmacological treatment and, in some cases, pituitary irradiation, aiming at normalization of IGF-1 levels, is required for arthropathy management.
Are you born with acromegaly?
Acromegaly is usually caused by the pituitary gland producing excess growth hormone. In more than 95% of cases the excess production is due to a benign tumor, known as a pituitary adenoma. The condition is not inherited from a person's parents.
Does acromegaly make you stronger?
Patients with untreated acromegaly had increased body cell mass and normal or modestly increased proximal muscle strength, whereas their grip strength was reduced.
Does acromegaly cause weight gain?
Patients with acromegaly and DM have a greater postoperative weight gain and are prone to increasing fat mass, i.e., visceral fat. Although DM improved after disease control of acromegaly, there is a residual cardiovascular risk and impaired quality of life due to weight and fat gain after surgery.
Can you have gigantism and acromegaly?
Gigantism and acromegaly are syndromes of excessive secretion of growth hormone (hypersomatotropism) that are nearly always due to a pituitary adenoma. Before closure of the epiphyses, the result is gigantism. Later, the result is acromegaly, which causes distinctive facial and other features.
What is the life expectancy of a person with acromegaly?
Life expectancy may be reduced by approximately 10 years, especially when growth hormone levels are uncontrolled and diabetes and heart disease are present. Patients who are successfully treated for acromegaly and whose growth hormone and IGF-1 levels fall to normal generally have a normal life expectancy.
What is acromegaly after puberty?
Acromegaly is the result if the disease mechanism starts after puberty. This article will discuss the disease mechanism and the clinical features, symptoms, causes, investigation and diagnosis, and prognosis of acromegaly and gigantism, and also the difference between the two disorders.
Is acromegaly the same as gigantism?
Acromegaly is the result if the disease mechanism starts after puberty. Acromegaly is commoner than gigantism. Acromegaly starts around 3 rd decade. Acromegaly also has similar symptoms as gigantism, but they appear only later in life. Acromegaly has a mortality rate two to three times that of the general population.
Is gigantism rare?
Gigantism is extremely rare; thus far, only 100 cases have been reported. Gigantism can start at any age before epiphyseal fusion at puberty. It features headache, visual disturbances, obesity, joint pain and excessive sweating. Mortality rates of gigantism during childhood are not known due to the small number of cases.
What is the difference between acromegaly and gigantism?
Difference between Acromegaly and Gigantism. Acromegaly is oversecretion of growth hormone which begins in adulthood. Gigantism is oversecretion of growth hormone which begins in childhood.
What is Acromegaly?
Acromegaly is the oversecretion of growth hormone from the pituitary gland starting at some time between the ages of 20 and 40 years.
What causes a Gigantism?
Gigantism is caused by a noncancerous pituitary tumor, McCune-Albright syndrome, Carney complex, neurofibromatosis and also certain endocrine neoplasias. Table comparing Acromegaly Vs. Gigantism.
What is the disorder in which excess amounts of growth hormone are secreted from the pituitary gland during?
Gigantism is the disorder in which excess amounts of growth hormone are secreted from the pituitary gland during a person’s childhood. It occurs before the epiphyseal (growth) plates of the bones have come together and fused.
How is gigantism treated?
Gigantism is often treated by using medicine that helps reduce the overproduction of the growth hormone or blocks the receptors to which the hormone binds. The drug pegvisomant is sometimes used, as well as radiation therapy.
How to diagnose acromegaly?
Acromegaly can be diagnosed by measuring and noticing high levels of growth hormones in blood plasma, and by CT or MRI scans. These scans may show a pituitary tumor present causing the oversecretion. The condition is caused by a hypersecretion of growth hormone that begins in adulthood after the epiphyses are closed.
What are the complications of acromegaly?
Complications involved in Acromegaly: One of the big complications from having acromegaly is the development of cardiomyopathy, in which the heart enlarges; this then causes problems with the heart function. There can also be increasing problems with the respiratory system and with both lipid and glucose metabolism.
What is the difference between Gigantism and Acromegaly?
Gigantism occurs when growth hormone hypersecretion occurs before the fusion of the long bone epiphysis and is characterized by tall stature. Acromegaly occurs when GH hypersecretion occurs after the fusion of the epiphysis leading to large extremities and characteristic facies.
What are the characteristics of acromegalic facies?
Acromegalic facies: Prominent supraorbital ridge, broad nose, acne, large lips, overbite, prognathism, tongue enlargement, and coarsening of facial features form the characteristic acromegalic facies. These changes, however, are very subtle and often go unrecognized by family members. A comparison of present and old photographs may show gradual changes and is an essential part of the assessment of acromegaly.
What causes adenoma in the pituitary gland?
The most common cause is a growth hormone (GH) secreting adenoma in the pituitary gland. Gigantism occurs when growth hormone hypersecretion occurs before the fusion of the long bone epiphysis and is characterized by tall stature. Acromegaly occurs when GH hypersecretion occurs after the fusion of the epiphysis leading to large extremities ...
What is the IGF-1 test for acromegaly?
Biochemical diagnosis: Measurement of IGF-1 level is the initial test for the diagnosis of acromegaly as it is a stable molecule with a half-life of 15 hours. It should be measured in cases where there is clinical suspicion of acromegaly and pituitary masses – normal IGF-1 level rules out acromegaly. False-positive IGF-1 levels can be seen in pregnancy and adolescence, and false-negative levels may be seen with estrogen therapy. Furthermore, hepatic failure, renal failure, hypothyroidism, malnutrition, sepsis, and poorly controlled diabetes mellitus can also influence IGF-1 levels. All cases with elevated IGF-1 levels need to have an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) with GH measurement to confirm the diagnosis of acromegaly or gigantism. A GH level of 1 mcg/lt or less 2 hours after a 75 gms of oral glucose tolerance test rules out acromegaly. Plasma glucose needs to be measured before and after the administration of glucose to make sure hyperglycemia has been achieved.
How many cases of acromegaly are there per million?
The prevalence of acromegaly is 78 cases per million population, and the incidence is 10 new cases per year per million population.[3] There is no gender preponderance with equal incidence in males and females. The average age of presentation is 44 years with younger patients tending to have more aggressive disease.
Why do my hands and feet get bigger?
Increased size of extremities: Enlargement of the hands and feet is noted secondary to both bony expansion and soft tissue swelling. Patients often appreciate an increase in ring and shoe size. The extremities have a "dough" like consistency due to the soft tissue swelling. There is a decrease in the shoe size and ring size with the treatment of acromegaly due to the resolution of soft tissue swelling; the bony changes, however, are permanent.
What imaging is used to diagnose acromegaly?
Imaging: Pituitary Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the preferred imaging modality for the diagnosis of acromegaly. The size, extent of the tumor, optic chiasmal compression, and cavernous sinus invasion can all be assessed on the MRI scan. Visual field testing is to be done in all cases where the tumor is in contact with the optic chiasm on the MRI scan.
What causes acromegaly and gigantism?
Gigantism and acromegaly are usually caused by a pituitary adenoma that secretes excessive amounts of growth hormone (GH); rarely, they are caused by non-pituitary tumors that secrete growth hormone–releasing hormone (GHRH). Gigantism occurs if GH hypersecretion begins in childhood, before closure of the epiphyses.
When does gigantism occur?
Gigantism occurs if GH hypersecretion begins in childhood, before closure of the epiphyses. Acromegaly involves GH hypersecretion beginning in adulthood; a variety of bony and soft tissue abnormalities develop.
What is the term for the syndrome of excessive secretion of growth hormone?
Gigantism and acromegaly are syndromes of excessive secretion of growth hormone (hypersomatotropism) that are nearly always due to a pituitary adenoma. Before closure of the epiphyses, the result is gigantism. Later, the result is acromegaly, which causes distinctive facial and other features.
What happens if GH hypersecretion begins in childhood?
This rare condition occurs if GH hypersecretion begins in childhood, before closure of the epiphyses. Skeletal growth velocity and ultimate stature are increased, but little bony deformity occurs. However, soft-tissue swelling occurs, and the peripheral nerves are enlarged.
What is the role of GH in the body?
Growth hormone (GH) stimulates somatic growth and regulates metabolism . Growth hormone–releasing hormone (GHRH) is the major stimulator and somatostatin is the major inhibitor of the synthesis and release of GH. GH controls synthesis of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1, also called somatomedin-C), which largely controls growth. Although IGF-1 is produced by many tissues locally, the liver is the major source of circulating IGF-1. The metabolic effects of GH are biphasic. GH initially exerts insulin-like effects, increasing glucose uptake in muscle and fat, stimulating amino acid uptake and protein synthesis in liver and muscle, and inhibiting lipolysis in adipose tissue. Several hours later, more profound anti–insulin-like metabolic effects occur. They include inhibition of glucose uptake and use, causing blood glucose and lipolysis to increase, which increases plasma free fatty acids.
What is the function of GH?
GH controls synthesis of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1, also called somatomedin-C), which largely controls growth. Although IGF-1 is produced by many tissues locally, the liver is the major source of circulating IGF-1. The metabolic effects of GH are biphasic.
When does GH hypersecretion start?
In acromegaly, GH hypersecretion usually starts between the 20s and 40s. When GH hypersecretion begins after epiphyseal closure, the earliest clinical manifestations are coarsening of the facial features and soft-tissue swelling of the hands and feet. Appearance changes, and larger rings, gloves, and shoes are needed. Photographs of the patient are important in delineating the course of the disease.
