Document Detail


Early descriptions of acromegaly and gigantism and their historical evolution as clinical entities.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  20887119     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
Giants have been a subject of fascination throughout history. Whereas descriptions of giants have existed in the lay literature for millennia, the first attempt at a medical description was published by Johannes Wier in 1567. However, it was Pierre Marie, in 1886, who established the term "acromegaly" for the first time and established a distinct clinical diagnosis with clear clinical descriptions in 2 patients with the characteristic presentation. Multiple autopsy findings revealed a consistent correlation between acromegaly and pituitary enlargement. In 1909, Harvey Cushing postulated a “hormone of growth" as the underlying pathophysiological trigger involved in pituitary hypersecretion in patients with acromegaly. This theory was supported by his observations of clinical remission in patients with acromegaly in whom he had performed hypophysectomy. In this paper, the authors present some of the early accounts of acromegaly and gigantism, and describe its historical evolution as a medical and surgical entity.
Authors:
Antonios Mammis; Jean Anderson Eloy; James K Liu
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Historical Article; Journal Article    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Neurosurgical focus     Volume:  29     ISSN:  1092-0684     ISO Abbreviation:  Neurosurg Focus     Publication Date:  2010 Oct 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2010-10-04     Completed Date:  2010-12-21     Revised Date:  -    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  100896471     Medline TA:  Neurosurg Focus     Country:  United States    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  E1     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Department of Neurological Surgery, Division of Otolaryngology, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, New Jersey Medical School, Neurological Institute of New Jersey, Newark, New Jersey 07103, USA.
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Acromegaly / diagnosis*,  history*
Adenoma / complications,  diagnosis,  history
Adult
Female
France
Gigantism / diagnosis*,  history*
History, 19th Century
History, 20th Century
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Neuroendocrinology / history
Pituitary Neoplasms / complications,  diagnosis,  history*
Terminology as Topic

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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