ʻO Acromegaly kahi maʻi i hoʻokumu ʻia e ka nui o ka hana ʻana o ka hormone ulu (i kapa ʻia hoʻi ʻo somatotropic hormone a i ʻole GH no Growth Hormon). Ke alakaʻi nei kēia i kahi hoʻololi o ka helehelena o ka helehelena, ka hoʻonui ʻana i ka nui o nā lima a me nā wāwae a me nā mea he nui, ʻo ia ke kumu o nā hōʻailona nui a me nā hōʻailona o ka maʻi.

He kūlana laha ʻole ia, e loli ana ma kahi o 60 a 70 paha hihia i kēlā me kēia miliona mau kānaka, e hōʻike ana he 3 a 5 mau hihia no hoʻokahi miliona poʻe noho i kēlā me kēia makahiki.

I nā mākua, ʻike pinepine ʻia ma waena o nā makahiki 30 a 40. Ma mua o ka ʻōpio, ʻo ka hoʻonui ʻia ʻana o ka GH ke kumu gigantism a giganto-acromegaly paha.

ʻO ke kumu nui o ka acromegaly kahi tumo (non-cancerous) o ka pituitary gland, kahi gland (i kapa ʻia ʻo ka pituitary gland), aia i ka lolo a hūnā pinepine i kekahi mau hormones me GH.