#endocrinology

• Acromegalic — Suffering from acromegaly; characterized by the excessive and disproportionate development of the body's extremities (hands, feet, facial bones, nose, jaw) due to the pathological hypersecretion of growth hormone (somatotropin) after the closure of epiphyseal plates. As a noun, it designates a male individual clinically diagnosed with this chronic neuroendocrine condition, most commonly triggered by a pituitary adenoma.
• Acromegalic woman — The feminine form of the word 'acromegal'; it describes a female individual or an anatomical structure (conformation, physiognomy, symptomatology) affected by acromegaly or characterized by the traits of this disease. In women, the progression of the condition can cause, alongside skeletal changes, severe menstrual cycle disorders and macroglossia.
• Acromegalic — A synonymous variant of the adjective acromegal; relating to acromegaly, manifesting its symptoms, or affected by the hypersecretion of somatotropin. As a noun, the term defines a male individual presenting the clinical picture of the disease, marked by hypertrophy of the facial bones, hands, and feet secondary to a pituitary adenoma.
• Acromegalic woman — The feminine form of the word 'acromegalic'; it defines a female individual or a physical manifestation affected by this neuroendocrine dysfunction. The symptomatology in women comprises, alongside facial and skeletal changes, frequent associations with secondary hypertension and voice deepening.
• Acromegaly — A chronic neuroendocrine disease caused by a pathological hypersecretion of growth hormone (somatotropin) and insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) in adulthood, after the closure of epiphyseal growth plates. The condition is characterized by the exaggerated enlargement of skeletal extremities (hands, feet), hypertrophy of facial bones (prognatism, prominent brow ridges), soft tissue thickening, macroglossia, and secondary severe cardiac or metabolic dysfunctions.
• Acromicria — A rare pathological clinical condition, considered the opposite of acromegaly, characterized by the unusually small size and insufficient development of the body's extremities (hands, feet, facial bones). This structural syndrome is most often caused by congenital pituitary dysfunctions, diencephalic lesions, or severe secretory disorders of trophic hormones during growth.
• Acropachy — A rare pathological clinical syndrome characterized by the subperiosteal thickening and deformation of the long bones of the extremities, associated with soft tissue hypertrophy of the fingers and toes (clubbing / Hippocratic digits). This osteoarticular structural phenomenon occurs most frequently as an advanced extrathyroidal manifestation of Graves' disease (thyroid acropachy), typically coexisting with exophthalmos and pretibial myxedema.
• ACTH — International acronym for adrenocorticotropic hormone (or corticotropin), a peptide hormone secreted by the anterior pituitary gland. Its primary structural role is to stimulate the production and secretion of glucocorticoid hormones (especially cortisol) by the adrenal cortex. Monitoring ACTH levels in the blood is essential for diagnosing disorders of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis, such as Addison's disease or Cushing's syndrome.
• Addison — A proper noun of Anglo-Saxon origin used as a surname or given name, etymologically meaning 'son of Addie'. In medicine, the term identifies Addison's disease (primary chronic adrenal insufficiency), first described by British physician Thomas Addison. It also names several municipalities and towns across the United States of America.
• Adenohypophysis — The anterior and intermediate lobe of the hypophysis (pituitary gland), possessing an epithelial-glandular structure distinct from the neurohypophysis; it is responsible for the synthesis and secretion of most essential trophic hormones, such as growth hormone (GH), prolactin, ACTH, TSH, LH, and FSH. This structural component regulates the metabolic activity and homeostasis of the entire endocrine system through complex feedback mechanisms.
• Adenoma — A form of benign tumor that structurally develops from the epithelial cells of a gland or from tissues exhibiting glandular structures. Although it is non-cancerous and does not metastasize, an adenoma can cause significant clinical problems by compressing neighboring organs or through the excessive and uncontrolled secretion of hormones, as occurs in endocrine glands.
• Agenitalism — An extremely rare clinical condition characterized by the total congenital absence of internal and external genital organs or by the complete lack of hormonal secretion from the gonads (severe sexual infantilism). This endocrine and organic structural disorder profoundly affects the development of secondary sexual characteristics and reproductive capacity.
• Agonadism — A highly rare congenital medical condition characterized by the complete structural and functional absence of gonads (testes or ovaries), caused by an anomaly in early embryonic development; it results in a lack of sex hormones and requires life-long hormone replacement therapy.
• Aldosterone — A mineralocorticoid steroid hormone secreted by the zona glomerulosa of the adrenal cortex, playing an essential role in regulating fluid-electrolyte balance and blood pressure. It acts upon the distal tubules of the kidneys, stimulating sodium and water reabsorption while promoting potassium and hydrogen excretion.
• Aldosteronism — An endocrine clinical condition caused by the excessive, pathological secretion of the mineralocorticoid hormone aldosterone by the adrenal cortex. This metabolic disruption triggers massive sodium and water retention in the body, coupled with exaggerated potassium elimination, manifesting primarily as severe hypertension, chronic muscle weakness, and spasms.
• Urinary aldosterone test — The elimination of the hormone aldosterone or its metabolites through urine; in a medical and laboratory sense, the term designates the quantitative analysis of the concentration of this hormone excreted over 24 hours, a crucial test used to evaluate adrenal cortex activity.
• Anadrenalism — An obsolete or rarely used medical term designating the absolute absence, complete failure, or cessation of adrenal gland function; it represents an extreme, acute form of primary adrenal insufficiency. This clinical phenomenon severely disrupts homeostasis by halting the secretion of essential corticosteroid hormones (colsitol and aldosterone), leading to profound hypotension, electrolyte imbalances, and imminent risk of an adrenal crisis.
• Anandria — A rare medical and biological term designating the complete absence or severe deficiency of masculine characteristics or androgen hormones (testosterone) in a male individual. In clinical pathology, this structural or functional condition can be caused by genetic anomalies, testicular dysfunctions, or severe disorders of the hypothalamus-pituitary axis, leading to the non-development of secondary sexual characteristics and the appearance of eunuchoid physical traits.
• Androgen — A natural or synthetic hormonal substance (such as testosterone) that stimulates and controls the development and maintenance of male secondary sexual characteristics in vertebrates. As an adjective, it describes any factor, chemical compound, or structural physiological process that induces masculinization or exerts a direct influence on the male reproductive organs.
• Androgen therapy — A medical treatment method consisting of the therapeutic administration of androgen hormones or masculinizing compounds (such as testosterone or its derivatives). This clinical protocol is structurally used in endocrinology for correcting male hypogonadism, in gender-affirming therapies, and in managing certain oncological conditions or severe cachexia states.