Question 1

is acromegaly hereditary?

Accepted Answer

Only rarely: The great majority of cases of acromegaly are what we call sporadic, that is not familial. If a family member has or had acromegaly, and you think that you have symptoms, a simple blood test will confirm or deny your concerns.

Question 2

what are the tests for acromegaly?

Accepted Answer

IGF-1, MRI, others: A screening test is igf-1 (or insulin-like growth factor). This test is more reliable than growth hormone (gh) because gh is released in pulses, so that a one-time measurement of gh doesn't mean much.  If the igf-1 is high, further tests may include a test where glucose is given & gh check to see if if suppresses (normal) or stays high (acromegaly) and MRI is done to check for pituitary tumor.

Question 3

what sort of problem is acromegaly?

Accepted Answer

Pituitary: Pituitary tumor causing exce3ssive growthhormone production after bones have fused (no more linear growth).  When younger, can cause gigantism.  Can increase diabetes, lipids, bone problems.  Can present with headache, visual symptoms (tumor can press on optic nerves), joint pain, increased glove or hat size, dental problems, symptoms of diabetes. Can shorten life, get dx, get rx-usually surgical.

Question 4

what are the symptoms of acromegaly?

Accepted Answer

Many: Adults do not gain height once the bones are completely mineralized, but the bones can grow in width.  So wider hands or feet are classic symptoms. Facial bones may enlarge and lead to coarsening of facial features; the jaw may enlarge and protrude.  People with acromegaly may also have headaches, diabetes, sleep apnea, heart problems, carpal tunnel, arthritis,  & higher risk for cancer.

Question 5

what are signs and symptoms of acromegaly?

Accepted Answer

Acromegaly: Widened and thickened nose, prominent cheekbones, bulging forehead and thickened overlying skin, thick lips, marked facial lines, large tongue, mandibular overgrowth, prognathism,  enlarged jaw (macrognathia), maxillary widening, teeth separation, jaw malocclusion, enlarged hands, elengated arms/legs, headache, visual problems, deepening of the voice, carpal tunnel, just to name a few.

Question 6

what are the side effects of disease acromegaly?

Accepted Answer

Acromegaly: Complications are
severe headache
 arthritis and carpal tunnel syndrome
 enlarged heart
 hypertension
 diabetes mellitus
 heart failure
 kidney failure
 compression of the optic chiasm leading to loss of vision in the outer visual fields (typically bitemporal hemianopia)
 increased palmar sweating and sebum production over the face (seborrhea).

Question 7

can the face puffiness be a symptom of acromegaly?

Accepted Answer

Possible, not likely: Puffiness suggests increased fluid in the soft tissue, or enlargement of the soft tissue itself.  While the latter could be due to acromegaly, edema, or increased fluid is much more likely, and would not be indicative of acromegaly.

Question 8

do acromegaly and plagiocephaly share any common symptoms?

Accepted Answer

Not really: Both involve changes in head shape, but nothing else. Acromegaly involves abnormal growth and/or thickening of the brow, jaw, and other bones due to gh excess.  More growth than thickening in children. It is a serious condition. Plagio is a flattening due to a constant position in a growing infant skull.  Like the flat (earthen) side of a pumpkin that has sat in a field.

Question 9

can the bony signs of acromegaly return to normal over time, if treated?

Accepted Answer

Not usually: Once bones have expended in size, they will generally not shrink, even if growth hormone (gh) and igf-1 levels are normalized.  However, much of the increase in size of hands & feet and the face is caused by soft tissue enlargement, which will shrink in response to treatment.

Question 10

is this ogtt gh supressiontest suggestive for acromegaly? 0.18/0.09/0.12/0.20/1.12  thank you very much for an answer.

Accepted Answer

Which test was done: It depends on what kind of immunoassay the laboratory you were at was doing.When a typical oggt GH suppression test is done, we generally look for any reading over 1ng/ml 2 hours after the glucose for the diagnosis.With the newer immunoradiometric assays, any readying over 0.3nl/ml is considered a positive diagnostic test.So without knowing which test was used,it's hard to say based on your values

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Doctor answers about:

Acromegaly and diabetes

A member asked:

Is acromegaly hereditary?

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What are the tests for acromegaly?

A member asked:

What sort of problem is acromegaly?

A member asked:

What are the symptoms of acromegaly?

A member asked:

What are signs and symptoms of acromegaly?

A member asked:

What are the side effects of disease acromegaly?

A member asked:

Can the face puffiness be a symptom of acromegaly?

A member asked:

Do acromegaly and plagiocephaly share any common symptoms?

A member asked:

Can the bony signs of acromegaly return to normal over time, if treated?

A member asked:

Is this ogtt gh supressiontest suggestive for acromegaly? 0.18/0.09/0.12/0.20/1.12 thank you very much for an answer.

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