Important
It is possible that the main title of the report Acromegaly is not the name you expected.

Disorder Subdivisions

• None

General Discussion

Acromegaly is a rare, slowly progressive, acquired disorder that affects adults. It occurs when the pituitary gland produces too much growth hormone (GH). The pituitary gland is a small gland located near the base of the skull that stores several hormones and releases them into the bloodstream as needed by the body. These hormones regulate many different bodily functions. In most cases, acromegaly is caused by the growth of a benign tumor (adenoma), affecting the pituitary gland. 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. When the disease affects children prior to the end of puberty, excess growth hormone can lead to accelerated growth and tall stature, known as gigantism. If untreated, acromegaly can potentially cause serious illness and life-threatening complications

Resources

Pituitary Network Association
P.O. Box 1958
Thousand Oaks, CA 91358
USA
Tel: (805)499-9973
Fax: (805)480-0633
Email: info@pituitary.org
Internet: http://www.pituitary.org

NIH/National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive & Kidney Diseases
Office of Communications & Public Liaison
Bldg 31, Rm 9A06
31 Center Drive, MSC 2560
Bethesda, MD 20892-2560
Tel: (301)496-3583
Email: NDDIC@info.niddk.nih.gov
Internet: http://www2.niddk.nih.gov/

Hormone Foundation
8401 Connecticut Avenue
Suite 900
Chevy Chase, MD 20815-5817
Fax: (310)941-0259
Tel: (800)467-6663
Email: hormone@endo-society.org
Internet: http://www.hormone.org/

Genetic and Rare Diseases (GARD) Information Center
PO Box 8126
Gaithersburg, MD 20898-8126
Tel: (301)251-4925
Fax: (301)251-4911
Tel: (888)205-2311
TDD: (888)205-3223
Internet: http://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/GARD/

Pituitary Foundation
PO Box 1944
Bristol, BS99 2UB
UK
Tel: 0845 450 0375
Fax: 0117 933 0910
Email: helpline@pituitary.org.uk
Internet: http://www.pituitary.org.uk

American Association of Neurological Surgeons
5550 Meadowbrook Drive
Rolling Meadows, IL 60008-3852
Tel: (847)378-0500
Fax: (847)378-0600
Tel: (888)566-2267
Email: info@aans.org
Internet: http://www.NeurosurgeryToday.org and http://www.aans.org

Acromegaly Community
432 Amherst Street, 2nd Floor
Buffalo, NY 14207
Tel: (716)844-8780
Email: wayne@acromegalycommunity.com
Internet: http://www.acromegalycommunity.com

For a Complete Report

This is an abstract of a report from the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD). A copy of the complete report can be downloaded free from the NORD website for registered users. The complete report contains additional information including symptoms, causes, affected population, related disorders, standard and investigational therapies (if available), and references from medical literature. For a full-text version of this topic, go to www.rarediseases.org and click on Rare Disease Database under "Rare Disease Information".

The information provided in this report is not intended for diagnostic purposes. It is provided for informational purposes only. NORD recommends that affected individuals seek the advice or counsel of their own personal physicians.

It is possible that the title of this topic is not the name you selected. Please check the Synonyms listing to find the alternate name(s) and Disorder Subdivision(s) covered by this report

This disease entry is based upon medical information available through the date at the end of the topic. Since NORD's resources are limited, it is not possible to keep every entry in the Rare Disease Database completely current and accurate. Please check with the agencies listed in the Resources section for the most current information about this disorder.

For additional information and assistance about rare disorders, please contact the National Organization for Rare Disorders at P.O. Box 1968, Danbury, CT 06813-1968; phone (203) 744-0100; web site www.rarediseases.org or email orphan@rarediseases.org

Last Updated: 6/9/2011
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