肢端肥大症是生長激素分泌過剩所造成的一種疾病。因病程進展緩慢常導致延誤診斷及治療，死亡率較一般人高。目前在治療方面不論是手術或藥物皆有更新的發展及更多的選擇。本文病例許先生的外觀包括臉型及四肢粗大，眼眶及下頷突出。實驗室檢查包含生長激素及泌乳激素都偏高。而肥厚性心肌病變、肝腎多發性囊腫情形、以及手指末梢指骨有密集增生現象也是因為生長激素分泌過度的結果。進一步以核磁共振造影檢查可發現腦下垂體有10x10x11 mm 大的腫瘤。確立診斷後，治療部分主要使用長效緩釋注射劑octreotide，每4 週注射一次，3 個月後生長激素回復正常之12.7ng/mL，臨床狀況改善，且未發生常見副作用。
藉由本文對於肢端肥大症病患的發現、診斷及治療提供大家對此疾病的注意，期望對於肢端肥大症病患能早期發現進行相關診斷並給予適當治療，以減少併發症及死亡的發生。
 

Acromegaly, an indolent disorder, is the consequence of hypersecretion of growth hormone that is most typically caused by a somatroph cell adenoma. The diagnosis of acromegaly is considerably delayed due to its insidious nature. A 59 years old man who presents coarse facial features and enlarged limbs complained about difficult breathing. He was also diagnosed of hypertension two years ago and was on regular medication. Oral glucose tolerance test and TRH stimulation test showed increasing levels of growth hormone and prolactin. Ultrasonic examination showed cardiomegaly and hepatic cyst. A tumor sized 10x10x11 mm at hypothalamus was found by MRI. These findings conform to the criteria of acromegaly. Long-acting octreotide, a somatostatin analog, was given every four weeks and the growth hormone was decreased to normal level and clinical symptoms were improved after being treated for three months.