Little known, endocrine diseases nevertheless bring together several pathologies. We take stock in figures.
- Endocrine diseases (or “hormonal diseases”) are caused by dysfunction of the glands that release hormones.
- This category includes type 1 diabetes, hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, pituitary adenomas, Cushing’s disease and acromegaly.
- 4 specialists communicated figures on each pathology during a press conference.
During a press conference, Professor Anne Barlier, geneticist at Marseille University Hospital and president of the French Society of Endocrinology (SFE), Professor Nicolas Chevalier, endocrinologist at Nice University Hospital, Professor Bernard Sablonnière, biologist, and Professor Thierry Brue, endocrinologist at the Conception Hospital in Marseille, discussed various issues linked to endocrine diseases.
As a reminder, endocrine diseases (or “hormonal diseases”) are caused by dysfunction of the hormone-releasing glands. In this category we classify type 1 diabetes, hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, pituitary adenomas, Cushing’s disease and acromegaly, pathologies on which the four experts have communicated several figures.
Type 1 diabetes
The prevalence of type 1 diabetes is increasing, with an incidence (new annual cases) of around 20 per 100,000. “The disease represents around 10% of cases of diabetes, or around 300,000 people”, specify the endocrinologists.
Hypothyroidism
Hypothyroidism is the condition the most common thyroid disorder, with a prevalence of at least 2.5%, mainly affecting women and with a clear increase in incidence after the age of sixty.
Hyperthyroidism
Hyperthyroidism affects approximately 0.5 to 2% of the adult population, also with a clear female predominance.
Pituitary adenomas
Pituitary adenomas, which represent between 10 and 20% of intracranial tumors in adults, have an incidence of 4/100,000 inhabitants.
“The most recent studies show a prevalence of all diagnosed pituitary adenomas amounting to at least 1 case per 1,000 inhabitants,” specify the scientists.
Cushing’s disease and acromegaly
Nearly 2,000 French patients have Cushing’s disease, and around 4,000 have acromegaly.
