Key to abbreviations: dk = dark, lt = light, m- = medium, lv = living things, mm = man-made things, m = masculine, f = feminine, n = neuter, c = common gender, pl = plural. You can find more colour words and notes on colours in individual languages by clicking on the language names that are links.
acromegaly. abnormal enlargement of the extremities of the skeleton due to overgrowth of connective tissue and increased appositional growth of bone caused by hypersecretion of growth hormone (GH) from the pituitary gland in adults. (Marie's disease), a condition caused by hyperfunction of the pituitary gland in adults. Characterized by enlargement of the skeletal extremities, including the feet, hands, mandible, and nose. Acromegaly.
In adults, too much GH is caused by a noncancerous tumor of the pituitary gland (adenoma). Too much GH can cause bones of the face, jaw, hands, and feet to grow larger than normal (acromegaly). Growth hormone can cause the release of other substances (factors) that affect growth and metabolism. One of these is insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1). When the GH level is very high, the IGF-1 level is also very high. A test for IGF-1 may also be done to confirm high GH levels.