#endocrinology definition

• 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 — 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.
• 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.
• Anepiphysia — An extremely rare congenital malformation or embryonic developmental structural anomaly characterized by the partial or total absence of the pineal gland (epiphysis cerebri). Functionally, this severe bio-structural condition profoundly disrupts the endocrine secretion of melatonin, directly impacting the circadian rhythm, sleep-wake cycles, and neuroendocrine mechanisms of sexual maturation.
• Apinealism — A rare clinical syndrome caused by the congenital absence, complete developmental failure, or surgical or pathological destruction of the pineal gland (epiphysis). This pathological condition disrupts normal melatonin secretion, directly impacting the regulation of circadian rhythms, the sleep-wake cycle, and the proper secretion of gonadotropic hormones.
• Apituitarism — A severe clinical syndrome characterized by the complete absence of function or hormonal secretion of the pituitary gland (hypophysis), representing an extreme form of panhypopituitarism. This condition can be congenital or acquired following surgical, tumoral, or vascular destruction of the gland, causing the collapse of secondary endocrine systems (thyroid, adrenals, gonads).
• Auxopathic — Relating to or characterized by anomalies, disorders, or pathological dysfunctions of the body's physical growth and development process (such as dwarfism or gigantism); relating to morbid alterations of auxology.