Acromegaly with joint pain as an initial symptom: A case report.

Background: Acromegaly is caused by the long‐term excessive secretion of growth hormone (GH) and insulin‐like growth factor‐1 (IGF‐1). It can cause excessive hyperplasia of bone, cartilage, and soft tissue. Case Presentation: A 50‐year‐old woman had a history of joint pain and swelling for more than 1 year. She visited a local primary care clinic, but her illness was not diagnosed by a primary care physician. After relevant examination in our hospital, we excluded inflammatory arthritis such as rheumatoid arthritis, immune disease‐related arthritis, and infectious arthritis, and considered osteoarthritis or endocrine–metabolic arthritis. When we examined her again, we found that her fingers and toes were enlarged. She was diagnosed with acromegaly after IGF‐1 test, and pituitary magnetic resonance imaging. Her joint symptoms were significantly relieved and her prognosis was good after surgery in another hospital. Conclusions: Acromegaly is a complex and rare disease, which is difficult to diagnose. When a patient presents with arthralgia, it is easily misdiagnosed as a rheumatic disease, and the diagnosis and treatment are delayed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]