Gigantism

Gigantism
Other namesGiantism
Robert Wadlow stood 8 ft 11 in (2.72 m)
SpecialtyEndocrinology
SymptomsAbnormal growth in height or size, weakness and insomnia
ComplicationsExcessive sweating, delayed puberty, weakness and severe or recurrent headaches, strokes, vomiting or nausea, high fevers, daytime sleepiness or narcolepsy, dry mouth, frequent diarrheas, stomachaches, ear pains, memory loss, back pains, excessive muscle cramps, chest pains
CausesHyperplasia in the pituitary gland
TreatmentSurgically remove the enlarged pituitary gland
MedicationOctreotide, lanreotide or pegvisomant

Gigantism (Greek: γίγας, gígas, "giant", plural γίγαντες, gígantes), also known as giantism, is a condition characterized by excessive growth and height significantly above average. In humans, this condition is caused by over-production of growth hormone in childhood.[1][2][3][4][5]

It is a rare disorder resulting from increased levels of growth hormone before the fusion of the growth plate which usually occurs at some point soon after puberty. This increase is most often due to abnormal tumor growths on the pituitary gland.[6][7] Gigantism should not be confused with acromegaly, the adult form of the disorder, characterized by somatic enlargement specifically in the extremities and face.[8][9]

  1. ^ "Gigantism" at Dorland's Medical Dictionary
  2. ^ "Gigantism | UCLA Pituitary Tumor Program". pituitary.ucla.edu. Retrieved 27 April 2017.
  3. ^ "Gigantism: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia". medlineplus.gov. Retrieved 27 April 2017.
  4. ^ "Gigantism and Acromegaly: Practice Essentials, Background, Pathophysiology and Etiology". 7 January 2017.
  5. ^ "Gigantism and Acromegaly – Hormonal and Metabolic Disorders – MSD Manual Consumer Version". MSD Manual Consumer Version. Retrieved 27 April 2017.
  6. ^ Rostomyan, Liliya; Daly, Adrian F.; Petrossians, Patrick; Nachev, Emil; Lila, Anurag R.; Lecoq, Anne-Lise; Lecumberri, Beatriz; Trivellin, Giampaolo; Salvatori, Roberto (October 2015). "Clinical and genetic characterization of pituitary gigantism: an international collaborative study in 208 patients". Endocrine-Related Cancer. 22 (5): 745–757. doi:10.1530/ERC-15-0320. ISSN 1479-6821. PMC 6533620. PMID 26187128.
  7. ^ Rostomyan, Liliya; Potorac, Iulia; Beckers, Pablo; Daly, Adrian F.; Beckers, Albert (2017). "AIP mutations and gigantism". Annales d'Endocrinologie. 78 (2): 123–130. doi:10.1016/j.ando.2017.04.012. PMID 28483363.
  8. ^ Chanson, Philippe; Salenave, Sylvie (25 June 2008). "Acromegaly". Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases. 3: 17. doi:10.1186/1750-1172-3-17. ISSN 1750-1172. PMC 2459162. PMID 18578866.
  9. ^ Capatina, Cristina; Wass, John A. H. (August 2015). "60 YEARS OF NEUROENDOCRINOLOGY: Acromegaly". The Journal of Endocrinology. 226 (2): T141–160. doi:10.1530/JOE-15-0109. ISSN 1479-6805. PMID 26136383.