In acromegaly (thesaurus synonyms: Arthritis in acromegaly; Arthropathy in acromegaly; Hypersecretion of somatotropin; Hypersecretion of growth hormone; Pituitary gigantism; Pituitary gigantism; Anterior pituitary hyperplasia with acromegaly; Anterior pituitary hyperplasia with gigantism; Anterior pituitary hyperplasia with giantism; Marie-Pierre I disease; Marie-Pierre I syndrome; Overproduction of somatotropin; Overproduction of growth hormone: ICD-10-GM E22. 0: Acromegaly and pituitary hypergrowth), there is an increase in the size of the body end limbs or acra. This refers to the protruding parts of the body such as the hands and feet, chin and lower jaw, ears, nose, over-eye bulges, and genitals.
Due to an overproduction of growth hormones (Human Growth Hormone (HGH), GH; somatotropin; somatotropic hormone (STH)) in the anterior pituitary lobe (HVL), the following changes occur in childhood or adulthood. It is therefore an endocrinological disease.
In childhood, an excess of STH before the closure of the epiphyseal joints (growth plates) leads to proportioned gigantism (pituitary gigantism; pronounced tall stature; patients often reach a height of > 2 m).
In adults, i.e. after completion of physiological growth, excessive STH production manifests exclusively in the head, acras (acromegaly) and visceral organs (organs in the abdomen).
Frequency peak: The disease occurs predominantly between the 45th and 50th year of life.
In Germany, acromegaly affects approximately 3,000 to 6,000 people.
The incidence (frequency of new cases) is about 3-5 cases per 1,000,000 inhabitants per year (in Germany).
Course and prognosis: If left untreated, the disease is associated with a shortened life expectancy of 10 years. This is due to cardio- and cerebrovascular complications (affecting the cardiovascular system and the brain) as well as an increased incidence of breast and colon cancer. If the growth hormone IGF-1 system can be normalized, prognosis improves.
