title: [Active acromegaly and gigantism: some clinical characteristics of 50 patients].
abstract: 50 patients with autonomous growth hormone excess (48 with adult acromegaly and 2 with gigantism) were studied between 1966 to 1986 (2.38 pts/year). Characteristic clinical presentation, an increase in growth hormone (GH) uninhibited by glucose, and/or hyperphosphemia and hyperhydroxiprolinuria were present in all patients. No cases of hypercalcemia were recorded. Phosphemia was increased in 55.8%, alkaline phosphatases in 61.7%, calciuria in 26.9% and hydroxyprolinuria in 74.2% of the patients. Basal GH was over 5 ng/ml (89.9 DS +/- 170.9) in 42 pts, and in 37 was not suppressed after glucose administration, 38% had an increased (paradoxical response) and 62% a flat response (less than 50% change of basal values). TRH test was performed in 14 patients, 8 presented an increase in GH titer. Hyperprolactinemia was seen in 4 of 12 patients in whom this hormone was measured. The size of the sella turcica was increased in 93%, and although the larger sellar size correlated to higher levels of GH, correlation was not significant. 20% of the pts had rheumatological disease, 14% goiter, 12% cardiac disease, 26.5% had diastolic hypertension and 4% renal lithiasis (hypercalciuric pts). 38% had hyperglycemia with a diabetic glucose tolerance test and 18% had non-diabetic abnormal glucose tolerance test.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Medicina, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile (Division Norte), Hospital José Joaquín Aguirre, Santiago.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Pumarino
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Oviedo
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Michelsen
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Campino
mesh_terms: D000172:Acromegaly / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005877:Gigantism / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D013006:Growth Hormone
vernacular_title: Acromegalia y gigantismo activos:algunas características clínicas de 50 pacientes.