Health-related quality of life and IGF-1 in GH-deficient adult patients on GH replacement therapy: analysis of the German KIMS data and the Study of Health in Pomerania.
OBJECTIVE
To analyse 12-month response to GH treatment in a single-country cohort of hypopituitary adult patients with GH deficiency (GHD) in regards to health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) compared with values from general population sample. Moreover, association between the response in HRQoL and the IGF-1 values in patients and in the background population was investigated.


METHODS
HRQoL was assessed by quality of life assessment of GH deficiency in adults (QoL-AGHDA) in 651 patients retrieved from the German KIMS (Pfizer International Metabolic Database) before and after 12 months of GH replacement and in a sample drawn from a cross-sectional study in Germany (n=2734). IGF-1 was measured in KIMS patients and in the population-based study with the same assay technique.


RESULTS
In KIMS patients, mean QoL-AGHDA scores before GH replacement were 9.2+/-6.8 (8.7+/-6.8) in women (men) and in the general population sample 4.5+/-5.3 (4.3+/-5.0) in women (men). Mean differences in QoL-AGHDA scores were statistically significant for all age categories (P<0.05). The mean IGF-1 SDS of KIMS patients before GH replacement was -1.1+/-1.4 (-0.8+/-1.4) in women (men). After GH replacement, a significant increase of IGF-1 concentration and a significant decrease of QoL-AGHDA scores near to age- and gender-specific population-based values were observed.


CONCLUSIONS
This study confirms an improvement in HRQoL and an increase of IGF-1 SDS in GH-replaced adults, which approximated the values of general population. However, there was no association between IGF-1 values and HRQoL assessment as one of the important treatment outcomes.
Moock
Joern
J
Institut for Community Medicine, Ernst Moritz Arndt University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany. joern.moock@uni-greifswald.de
Albrecht
Christin
C
Friedrich
Nele
N
Völzke
Henry
H
Nauck
Matthias
M
Koltowska-Haggström
Maria
M
Kohlmann
Thomas
T
Wallaschofski
Henri
H
D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D020249:Hormone Replacement Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000172:deficiency*; D006801:Humans; D007018:Hypopituitarism / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000523:psychology; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life
D019382:Human Growth Hormone; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I