Symptoms Checker8
How to Identify the Signs of Acromegaly
Our recorded sessions provide valuable insights from leading healthcare professionals, researchers, and individuals who are living with Acromegaly and Cushing's Disease.
(At least 1 ACRAL & FACIAL FEATURES)
Increase in shoe size
Increase in the size of hands
(Example: patient needed to buy bigger gloves or noticed an increase in ring size and others)
Any abnormal facial features (compared to old photographs)
(Example: swollen lips and tongue, enlarged nose, protruding forehead, protruding lower jaw and others)
(At least 2 or more acromegaly associated comorbidities)
History of or existing Cardiac disease (including biventricular hypertrophy and diastolic or systolic dysfunction)
Carpel tunnel syndrome
Colonic polyps
Diaphoresis (excess perspiration or oily sweating)
Diffuse arthralgia (large joint pains)
Fatigue
Persistent headache
Visual field defects
New-onset or uncontrolled diabetes
New-onset or difficult-to-control hypertension
Amenorrhea
Misalignment of teeth/bite or progressive teeth spacing
Sleep apnoea syndrome (excessive snoring)
Multiple skin tags
You appear to be in good health! Your responses do not currently indicate major symptoms.
Continue to monitor your condition and maintain healthy habits. If new symptoms develop, please reassess or consult a healthcare professional.
Based on your responses, you are showing significant symptoms.
Please visit your nearest Klinik Kesihatan or healthcare provider for further diagnosis and medical advice as soon as possible.
UNDERSTANDING DISEASE
Acromegaly Disease
Acromegaly is a rare endocrine disorder that results from an overproduction of growth hormone, typically caused by non-cancerous pea-sized gland named pituitary gland. The overproduction of growth hormone has resulted to abnormal growth of bones and tissues resulted in enlarged hands, feet, facial features and chronic metabolic disorders e.g. hypertension, hypercholesterolemia and diabetes.
Prevalence & Impact
Prevalence of Acromegaly
Prevalence Mean age of diagnosis 40-50 years old2-4
Affects men and women equally2-3
Causes and risk factors
MORE THAN 95% are due to growth hormone secreting pituitary tumours 5
In rare occasion, non-pituitary neuroendocrine tumours that cause ectopic secretion of growth hormone releasing hormone (GHRH) which may be bronchial, pancreatic, gastrointestinal, thymic and tumours associated with Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1).
Did you know?
The word acromegaly comes from the Greek words “acro,” meaning extremities, and “megaly,” meaning enlargement.
Signs & Symptoms
Symptoms often develop slowly and may be missed. Watch for:
Other Signs & Symptoms
The most common symptom of acromegaly is abnormal growth of the hands and feet.7 With swelling of the hands and feet being an early symptom of the condition, people with acromegaly might notice that their rings or shoes have become too tight. Over time, as the bones continue to grow, facial features begin to change.
With the brow and lower jaw becoming more prominent, the bone of the nose becoming larger, and the teeth developing spaces between them. Acromegaly can also lead to arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, and enlargement of the internal organs, including the heart.7
Additional symptoms may include:
- Joint aches
- Headaches
- Impaired vision
- Fatigue
- Weakness
- Thickening of the skin
- Oily skin
- Skin tags
- Skin odor
- Enlargement of the lips, nose, and tongue
- Deepening of the voice
- Sleep apnea
- Excessive sweating
- Abnormal menstrual cycles
- Breast discharge in women
- Erectile dysfunction in men
- Decreased libido
Why Early Diagnosis Matters
If left untreated, acromegaly can lead to serious complications like:
High Blood Pressure
22.3% – 76.8%9
Type 2 Diabetes
18% –77%9
High Cholesterol
up to 61%9
Overweight
>40%9
Did you know?
Early treatment may help to control symptoms, prevent or manage complications like heart disease and diabetes, and improve quality of life.
COMPLICATIONS
Prolonged overproduction of GH causes multiple complications
Cardiovascular
You may develop arterial hypertension and or cardiomyopathy (increased size and volume of the heart) with abnormalities in cardiac contractility, sometimes severe heart valve pathologies, or heart rhythm or conduction disorders. Certain cardiac signs may be a result of arterial hyper-tension. GH acts on the muscle of the heart (myocardium), causing hypertrophy (increase in size) of muscle fibres and collagen tissue, thus increasing the size of the heart9
Respiratory
You may suffer from sleep apnoea, and snoring. 2,15,16
Metabolic
GH increases blood glucose levels and exerts a lipolytic effect, which can lead to diabetes and disrupt the balance of fatty acids. 2,17,18
Gastrointestinal tumours
The incidence of polyps in the colon may be higher in patients with acromegaly. 2.15
Endocrine
Excess GH can cause disorders in thyroid function, the development of multinodular thyroid goitres and and hyperparathyroidism. The risk of cancer may be increased ac-cording to certain studies. 2.19
Skeletal and rheumatological
You may suffer from osteoporosis, vertebral fractures, and painful bone and joint pathologies, which can reduce joint mobility and progress to true osteoarthritis. 2.15
Neurological
Carpal tunnel syndrome, most of-ten nocturnal paraesthesia ("tin-gling") can occur in the hands as a result of damage to the median nerve (in the palm of the hand). 2,16
Acrogemaly’s Disease is Treatable
The goal is to bring hormone levels (e.g. IGF-1 and GH) back to normal level and relieve of symptoms.
Treatment options may include:
