Przerostie

Przerostie is a Polish term referring to the enlargement of an organ or tissue. In medical usage it denotes an increase in size that may result from two distinct cellular processes: hypertrophy, an increase in the size of cells; and hyperplazja, an increase in the number of cells. Consequently, przerostie is often used as an umbrella concept for tissue overgrowth, while precise histological diagnosis distinguishes hypertrophy from hyperplasia. In some contexts, the term may be used informally to denote hypertrophy specifically.

Causes and mechanisms: Przerostie can arise as an adaptive, reversible response to increased functional demand, such as exercise-induced skeletal muscle hypertrophy or pressure overload leading to cardiac hypertrophy. Hormonal factors, growth signaling pathways, and aging can also contribute. Maladaptive przerostie may impair organ function over time, for example when chronic cardiac load increases lead to maladaptive remodeling.

Examples: Cardiac hypertrophy is a common example, occurring with hypertension or valvular disease and potentially progressing to heart failure if the underlying cause remains untreated. Skeletal muscle hypertrophy occurs with resistance training or certain hormonal states. Proliferative overgrowths in some tissues are hyperplastic rather than hypertrophic, such as benign prostatic hyperplasia, which is driven by increased cell numbers rather than cell enlargement.

Diagnosis and management: Determining whether enlargement is hypertrophy, hyperplasia, or mixed requires clinical context, imaging and sometimes histology. Treatment focuses on addressing the underlying stimulus, such as controlling blood pressure, modifying activity, or treating hormonal imbalances. The prognosis depends on the cause, severity, and the organ involved.