Quality of life in treated patients with acromegaly.
BACKGROUND
It is not known to what extent quality of life of patients treated for acromegaly is dependent on levels of GH and IGF-I attained.


OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study is to examine the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and its dependence on treatment outcome and modality in a nationwide survey of acromegalic patients.


METHODS
All eligible patients with acromegaly, diagnosed from January 1980 through December 1999 in Finland, were invited to a follow-up study, carried out 11.4 +/- 5.7 (mean +/- sd) yr after initial treatment. HRQoL of the patients, measured by the generic 15D instrument, was compared with that of the general population. Factors related to HRQoL were analyzed by logistic regression.


METHODS
HRQoL was the main outcome measure.


RESULTS
Of 277 eligible patients, 231 (83.4%) participated in the follow-up study. Of them, 51.1% were in remission according to consensus criteria. The patients reported reduced HRQoL in comparison to the age- and gender-standardized general population (P < 0.001). HRQoL was related to nadir GH in oral glucose tolerance test (GHOGTT) in an inverted U-shaped fashion (overall P = 0.021). Patients with GHOGTT nadir values between 0.3-1.0 microg/liter had a better HRQoL than those with lower or higher values. A normal IGF-I (P = 0.038) and not having had radiotherapy (P = 0.004) were also associated with a better HRQoL.


CONCLUSIONS
HRQoL is reduced in treated patients with acromegaly. The best HRQoL may be achieved by normalization of IGF-I and by targeting the GHOGTT nadir to levels between 0.3 and 1.0 microg/liter. Radiotherapy is associated with adverse HRQoL.
Kauppinen-Mäkelin
Ritva
R
Department of Internal Medicine, Jorvi Hospital, FIN-02740 Espoo, Finland. ritva.kauppinen-makelin@hus.fi
Sane
Timo
T
Sintonen
Harri
H
Markkanen
Helene
H
Välimäki
Matti J
MJ
Löyttyniemi
Eliisa
E
Niskanen
Leo
L
Reunanen
Antti
A
Stenman
Ulf-Håkan
UH
D000172:Acromegaly / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006304:Health Status; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology; D007018:Hypopituitarism / Q000209:etiology; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life
D019382:Human Growth Hormone; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I