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Acromegaly is a rare and underdiagnosed acquired disorder. It is commonly caused by an underlying pituitary adenoma that often requires surgical excision. Diagnosis is normally preceded by ~5–10 years of excessive growth owing to hypersecretion of growth hormone. This can have long-term medical complications and result in a reduced life expectancy. Acromegalic patients present to a number of healthcare professionals prior to diagnosis, including general dental practitioners. As changes in occlusion are often a patient's primary concern prior to acromegaly diagnosis, it is important that all dentists are aware of the presentation and differential diagnoses of such disorders.
CPD/Clinical Relevance: Dentists should be aware of the initial presentation of acromegaly to facilitate early diagnosis.
Article
Acromegaly is an uncommon condition manifesting in characteristic changes caused by hypersecretion of growth hormone (GH), most commonly from pituitary somatotroph cells in benign adenomas.1 These changes typically affect peripheral parts of the body, such as the hands, feet and ears, as well as altering facial features, including the jaws, forehead and nose (Table 1).
Owing to the insidious nature of this condition, any diagnosis is preceded by numerous years of growth (approximately 6–8 years), which in turn, can have lasting impacts on a patients quality of life.2,3 Diagnosis is predominantly initiated by patients presenting to healthcare professionals regarding other related symptoms.12 Dentists are often the first healthcare professionals to whom these patients will present.4,5 As there can be life-threatening complications associated with this condition, it is important to keep this disorder in mind when patients present with unusual changes in occlusion beyond the age of maturation.4,6,7
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