An 8-year-old boy is brought to the endocrinologist for testing. He is already as tall as an adult man. His muscles are well developed, and he has very little body fat despite eating huge amounts of food. Blood work shows elevated levels of glucose. The endocrinologist should suspect:

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The symptoms suggest gigantism, which is caused by excessive secretion of growth hormone by the pituitary gland before the closure of the epiphyseal plates. This leads to excessive growth of bones and muscles, as well as increased glucose levels due to insulin resistance. Elevated testosterone or estrogen levels can lead to some of these symptoms, but it is less likely at such a young age. Decreased thyroxine levels would cause growth retardation rather than gigantism, and elevated parathyroid hormone levels would primarily affect calcium homeostasis.

An 8-Year-Old Boy Is Brought to the Endocrinologist for Testing