Having too much growth hormone can cause hormonal problems. It leads to issues like acromegaly and gigantism. These diseases make the body produce too much growth hormone, affecting how the body grows and works.
Acromegaly is a rare problem that adults often get. It happens when a small non-cancerous growth forms in the pituitary gland. This growth makes the body produce too much growth hormone. People with acromegaly have big hands and feet, and their face and other body parts might look different.
Doctors find acromegaly with tests and special pictures. They check the blood for high levels of growth hormone and another hormone called IGF-I. Then, imaging tests like MRI show if there’s a growth in the pituitary gland.
Treating excess growth hormone usually means lowering those hormone levels. Doctors often do surgery to remove the pituitary gland’s growth. If surgery isn’t an option, medicines or radiation might work.
Doctors are also looking at how stem cell therapy could help with acromegaly. Stem cells might help fix body parts that got damaged because of too much growth hormone.
Key Takeaways:
- Excess growth hormone can lead to disorders such as acromegaly and gigantism.
- Acromegaly is typically caused by a pituitary adenoma and occurs mainly in middle-aged adults.
- Clinical features of acromegaly include broadened extremities, facial deformities, and various health complications.
- Biochemical tests and imaging studies are used to diagnose excess growth hormone disease.
- Treatment options include surgery, medical therapy, and ongoing research into stem cell therapy.
Causes and Mechanisms of Excess Growth Hormone
Excess growth hormone (GH) can happen for many reasons, with pituitary adenoma being the main cause. This benign tumor is in the pituitary gland and leads to most cases of too much GH. However, in rare situations, other tumors or conditions might also cause too much growth hormone.
One condition is ectopic secretion of growth-hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH). This happens when a tumor outside the hypothalamus or pituitary gland produces GHRH. Genetic syndromes like multiple endocrine neoplasia-1 (MEN-1) or McCune-Albright syndrome can also cause more GH production.
Having too much growth hormone can cause acromegaly or gigantism. Acromegaly makes parts of the body grow too much, changing the way someone looks. Gigantism, on the other hand, is when a child grows too big because of too much GH before their bones are done growing.
Researchers are still looking into how these tumors and conditions work to make too much GH. They think that problems in genes, cell signaling, and hormones are all involved.
Comparison of Excess Growth Hormone Conditions
| Condition | Cause | Clinical Features |
|---|---|---|
| Acromegaly | Pituitary adenoma | – Enlargement of extremities |
| – Facial changes | ||
| – Organ enlargement | ||
| Gigantism | Pituitary adenoma (before bone fusion) | – Excessive growth during childhood |
Diagnosis and Treatment of Excess Growth Hormone Disease
Diagnosing excess growth hormone disease, like acromegaly, needs a detailed check. Doctors look for changes in the face and big hands or feet first. These signs help find the problem early.
Tests like the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) are key in the diagnosis phase. They check your blood for growth hormone and IGF-I levels. This gives doctors a clear view of the issue.
Doctors also use MRIs to see if a pituitary adenoma is the cause. This type of tumor is usually what makes the body produce too much growth hormone.
The main treatment is often surgery to remove the adenoma. This can fix the problem at its source. But in some cases, surgery isn’t an option. Then, doctors might use medicines or radiation to treat it. Also, scientists are looking into how stem cells might help in the future.