title: The incidence and prevalence of acromegaly, a nationwide study from 1955 through 2013.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Acromegaly is a rare disease with complications and increased mortality. The incidence and prevalence of acromegaly worldwide is not well known.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To gather information on patients diagnosed with acromegly in Iceland over 59 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  Information was retrospectively gathered about patients diagnosed with acromegaly from 1955 through 2013. Incidence was calculated from the total Icelandic population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Information was gathered from medical records at Landspitali National University Hospital, Iceland, housing the only endocrine department in the country, at the largest hospital outside of Reykjavik (Sjúkrahúsið á Akureyri, Akureyri Hospital) and the largest private outpatient clinic in Reykjavik, where some of the patients received follow-up care. Further, information on patients were sought from all endocrinologists treating adult patients in Iceland. All patients diagnosed with acromegaly during the study period were included.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty-two patients (32 men) were diagnosed during the study period. The average age at diagnosis was 44.5 years. Nine patients had died. Symptoms had been present for more than 3 years in most cases. Twenty-five patients had hypertension (48 %). Follow up information was available for 48 patients, 63 % were considered cured after treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The incidence of acromegaly in Iceland during the study period was much higher than earlier reports have indicated. During the last 9 years of the study 7.7 patients were diagnosed per million per year. At diagnosis, 38 % had developed hypertension and 10 % were diagnosed during follow up. This indicates the importance of endocrine disorders in the aetiology of hypertension.
authors.affiliation: Division of Geriatrics, Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, G3, Landspitali National University Hospital, 108, Reykjavík, Iceland.
authors.forename: Gudrun Thuridur
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Hoskuldsdottir
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology, Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, G3, Landspitali National University Hospital, 108, Reykjavík, Iceland.
authors.forename: Sigridur Bara
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Fjalldal
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology, Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, G3, Landspitali National University Hospital, 108, Reykjavík, Iceland. helga.sigurjonsdottir@medic.gu.se.|Faculty of Medicine, University of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland. helga.sigurjonsdottir@medic.gu.se.
authors.forename: Helga Agusta
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Sigurjonsdottir
mesh_terms: D000172:Acromegaly / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D007055:Iceland; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies
keywords: Acromegaly; Growth hormone; Hypertension; Pituitary tumor