Growth Hormone Excess

What is growth hormone excess?

Growth hormone excess occurs when the pituitary gland produces abnormally high levels of growth hormone (GH), usually due to a benign pituitary tumor (adenoma). In children, this leads to gigantism with excessive height; in adults, after growth plates close, it causes acromegaly, which thickens bones and soft tissues.

Signs and complications

Patients may notice enlarged hands and feet, coarsening facial features, joint pain, excessive sweating, and increased ring or shoe size. Untreated excess GH raises the risk of hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, sleep apnea, and arthritis.

Diagnosis and treatment

Diagnosis relies on blood tests for GH and insulin?like growth factor?1 (IGF?1), plus pituitary imaging. Treatment options include surgery to remove the tumor, GH?suppressing medications (somatostatin analogs, dopamine agonists), and sometimes radiation therapy.