Acromegaly is a chronic metabolic disorder caused by the presence of too much growth hormone. It results in gradual enlargement of body tissues including the bones of the face, jaw, hands, feet, and skull.

Acromegaly occurs in about 6 of every 100,000 adults. It is caused by abnormal production of growth hormone after normal growth of the skeleton and other organs is complete. Excessive production of growth hormone in children causes gigantism rather than acromegaly.

The cause of the increased hormone secretion is usually a 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.

There are no known risk factors for acromegaly other than a prior history of a pituitary tumor.

• Enlarged hands
• Enlarged feet
• Widened fingers or toes due to skin overgrowth with swelling, redness, and pain
• Enlarged jaw (prognathism) and tongue
• Enlarged facial bones
• Thickening of the skin, skin tags
• Enlarged sebaceous glands
• Hoarseness
• Headache
• Easy fatigue
• Excessive sweating
• Decreased muscle strength (weakness)
• Limited joint mobility
• Joint pain
• Carpal tunnel syndrome
• Widely spaced teeth
• Swelling of the bony areas around a joint

Additional symptoms that may be associated with this disease:

• Weight gain (unintentional)
• Hair, excessive on females

• The level of growth hormone is high.
• The level of IGF-1 (insulin-like growth factor 1) is high.
• A spine X-ray shows abnormal bone growth.
• A cranial MRI or cranial CT scan may show a pituitary tumor.
• An echocardiogram  may show a leaky mitral valve  or a leaky aortic valve.

This disease may also alter the results of the following tests:

• Fasting plasma glucose (high)
• Glucose tolerance test (too high at 2 hours)
• Creatinine
• Creatinine - urine
• 17-ketosteroids
• 17-hydroxycorticosteroids