Pseudoacromegaly—A challenging entity in the endocrine clinic: A systematic review
Authors' conclusion
Pseudoacromegaly is a challenging entity that may be encountered by endocrinologists. Pachydermoperiostosis and IMP are the conditions most often mimicking acromegaly. Adequate assessment of GH/IGF-1 is crucial to exclude acromegaly, which may be better performed by endocrinologists. Pituitary incidentalomas are common and require careful judgement to prevent unnecessary pituitary surgery.
Study context
- Population
- Published pseudoacromegaly cases evaluated for clinical suspicion of acromegaly, with acromegaly excluded by normal growth hormone (GH), IGF-1 and/or GH suppression on OGTT, and a pseudoacromegaly diagnosis established47 males
- Participants
- 76 cases
- Outcome
- Pseudoacromegaly cases: characteristics, conditions, features and investigations
Methodological detailsPubMed/Medline search
- PubMed/Medline search
Pooled result
As reported in the abstract
- Males
- 47 of 76
- Mean age at presentation
- 28 ± 16 years
- Mean age at first acromegaloid symptoms
- 17 ± 10 years
- Pachydermoperiostosis
- 47%
- Insulin-mediated pseudoacromegaly (IMP)
- 24%
- Acromegaloid facies
- 75%
- Acral enlargement
- 80%
- Random GH measured
- 65%
- IGF-1 measured
- 79%
- OGTT-GH measured
- 51%
- GH excess excluded based on two tests
- 53%
- Pituitary adenoma reported on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (of 30 with MRI)
- eight patients
- Pituitary hyperplasia reported on MRI (of 30 with MRI)
- three patients
Original publication
Pseudoacromegaly—A challenging entity in the endocrine clinic: A systematic review. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). Published 28 March 2024. doi:10.
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