title: Affected illness perceptions and the association with impaired quality of life in patients with long-term remission of acromegaly.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Illness perceptions pertain to the beliefs patients develop about their illness, and these views are determinants of behavior directed at the illness. Illness perceptions are determinants of quality of life (QoL). QoL remains impaired in patients with biochemical control of acromegaly, but illness perceptions were never studied in these patients.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the current study was to explore illness perceptions and their association with QoL in patients with long-term biochemical control of acromegaly.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  We included patients with long-term biochemical control of acromegaly (n = 81), and compared them with Dutch reference populations: patients with acute pain (n=35) or chronic pain (n = 63), Cushing's syndrome (n = 52), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (n = 171), and vestibular schwannoma (n = 80). Illness perceptions were evaluated using the Illness Perception Questionnaire Revised, and QoL was assessed with the Physical Symptoms Checklist, EuroQoL-5D, and AcroQoL.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Illness perceptions showed strong correlations with QoL. Patients after remission of acromegaly have a good understanding of their disease, but they experience a lack of personal control and are not likely to seek medical care compared with patients with acute disease (all P < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Illness perceptions of patients after long-term remission of acromegaly are affected and strongly related to QoL. Patients reported more negative illness perceptions than patients with acute illness but more positive illness perceptions than patients with chronic diseases. Additional research is necessary to assess whether a self-management intervention might help in improving affected illness perceptions and thereby improve QoL.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases C4-R, Leiden University Medical Center, P.O. Box 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands. J.Tiemensma@lumc.nl
authors.forename: Jitske
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tiemensma
authors.forename: Adrian A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Kaptein
authors.forename: Alberto M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.forename: Johannes W A
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Smit
authors.forename: Johannes A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Romijn
authors.forename: Nienke R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Biermasz
mesh_terms: D000172:Acromegaly / Q000523:psychology*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010465:Perception; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012648:Self Care; D012649:Self Concept; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires