Growth hormone hypersecretion occuring before epiphyses have fused results in gigantism while GH excess after epiphyseal closure results in acromegaly.

Clinical features of acromegaly:

• Skin thickening
• Enlarged nose and tongue
• Macroglossia
• Carpal tunnel syndrome
• Large hands and feet
• Prognathic lower jaw
• Diabetes mellitus
• Hypertension

CRETINISM	PITUITARY DWARF
Hypothyroidism in children causes cretinism	Growth hormone deficiency causes dwarfism
Stunted skeletal growth with disproportionate body parts	Stunted but well proportioned body parts
Mentally retarded	No mental retardation
Reproductive function is affected	Reproductive function is normal if there is only GH deficiency. Panhypopituitarism may cause hypogonadism
Macroglossia, glutteral breathing and croaking voice are present	Fine sparse hair and wrinkled atropic skin is present

HYPERTHYROIDISM	HYPOTHYROIDISM
Palpitations and tachycardia, hypertension dyspnoea ; atrial fibrillation	Bradycardia, hypotension, congestive heart failure
Weight loss despite normal, goitre, diffuse bruit	Weight gain, goiter, hoarseness and tiredness
Heat intolerance	Cold tolerance
Amenorrhea/ oligomenorrhea	Menorrhagia
Nervousness, irritability, emotional lability, tremor	Carpal tunnel syndrome, depression, aches and pains
Increased swelling, pigmentation, pretibial myxoedema	Dry flaky skin, alopecia, myxoedema
Lidlag, lid retraction , exophthalmos, diplopia, papilloedema	Macrocytosis, iron deficiency anemia