 |
| From Dr. Mark Peterson: endocrinevet.blogspot.com |
Acromegaly (or hypersomatotropism) is a disease that derives its name from two Greek words: ‘acro’ (meaning extremity) and ‘megale’ (meaning great). The disease has been known in humans for at least 100 years, and has been identified in cats starting in the 1980s. The disease is caused by a tumor (adenoma) of the pituitary gland in the brain that leads to excessive secretion of growth hormone. The effects of excessive growth hormone include the development of diabetes mellitus and increase in size of certain parts of the body (e.g., jaw, skull, limbs). Internal organs (e.g., heart, liver, kidney) may also be increased in size.
The typical feline patient is an older male cat with diabetes mellitus that is difficult to manage. The disease is diagnosed by finding increased blood levels of growth hormone and/or insulin-like growth factor as well as demonstration of a pituitary mass using magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomography. Few treatments are available for this disease in cats; to date, the most effective approach has been radiation therapy. Most affected cats eventually die of congestive heart failure, chronic kidney failure, or complications of the growing pituitary tumor. [SL]
See also:
- Niessen SJM. Feline acromegaly: An essential differential diagnosis for the difficult diabetic. J Feline Med Surg. 2010; 12: 15-23.
- Final report, Winn grant W10-017: Evaluation of a long-acting somatostatin receptor ligand for the treatment of feline acromegaly
- Insights into veterinary endocrinology: Dr. Mark E. Peterson
More on cat health: Winn Feline Foundation Library
Find us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
Join us on Google+
Greco DS. Feline acromegaly. Top Companion Anim Med. 2012; 27: 31-5.
Acromegaly (or hypersomatotropism) is a disease that derives its name from two Greek words: ‘acro’ (meaning extremity) and ‘megale’ (meaning great). The disease has been known in humans for at least 100 years, and has been identified in cats starting in the 1980s. The disease is caused by a tumor (adenoma) of the pituitary gland in the brain that leads to excessive secretion of growth hormone. The effects of excessive growth hormone include the development of diabetes mellitus and increase in size of certain parts of the body (e.g., jaw, skull, limbs). Internal organs (e.g., heart, liver, kidney) may also be increased in size.
The typical feline patient is an older male cat with diabetes mellitus that is difficult to manage. The disease is diagnosed by finding increased blood levels of growth hormone and/or insulin-like growth factor as well as demonstration of a pituitary mass using magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomography. Few treatments are available for this disease in cats; to date, the most effective approach has been radiation therapy. Most affected cats eventually die of congestive heart failure, chronic kidney failure, or complications of the growing pituitary tumor. [SL]
See also:
More on cat health: Winn Feline Foundation Library
Find us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
Join us on Google+
Read More
|
| From Dr. Mark Peterson: endocrinevet.blogspot.com |
Acromegaly (or hypersomatotropism) is a disease that derives its name from two Greek words: ‘acro’ (meaning extremity) and ‘megale’ (meaning great). The disease has been known in humans for at least 100 years, and has been identified in cats starting in the 1980s. The disease is caused by a tumor (adenoma) of the pituitary gland in the brain that leads to excessive secretion of growth hormone. The effects of excessive growth hormone include the development of diabetes mellitus and increase in size of certain parts of the body (e.g., jaw, skull, limbs). Internal organs (e.g., heart, liver, kidney) may also be increased in size.
The typical feline patient is an older male cat with diabetes mellitus that is difficult to manage. The disease is diagnosed by finding increased blood levels of growth hormone and/or insulin-like growth factor as well as demonstration of a pituitary mass using magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomography. Few treatments are available for this disease in cats; to date, the most effective approach has been radiation therapy. Most affected cats eventually die of congestive heart failure, chronic kidney failure, or complications of the growing pituitary tumor. [SL]
See also:
- Niessen SJM. Feline acromegaly: An essential differential diagnosis for the difficult diabetic. J Feline Med Surg. 2010; 12: 15-23.
- Final report, Winn grant W10-017: Evaluation of a long-acting somatostatin receptor ligand for the treatment of feline acromegaly
- Insights into veterinary endocrinology: Dr. Mark E. Peterson
More on cat health: Winn Feline Foundation Library
Find us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
Join us on Google+
An effective treatment could lead to wider awareness of this disorder in cats. This study examined the use of a drug used in humans for acromegaly called octreotide, a somatostin receptor ligand. The researchers found that octreotide appears to be safe in cats, but not all cats benefited from its use. At the dose and duration of treatment these investigators used, octreotide was not found to be therapeutically effective for acromegaly. This study should aid treatment decisions for cats with this condition. [MK]