title: Effect of growth hormone replacement therapy on the quality of life in women with growth hormone deficiency who have a history of acromegaly versus other disorders.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the response in quality of life (QoL) to growth hormone (GH) replacement in women with GH deficiency (GHD) and a history of acromegaly with that in women with GHD of other causes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-five women with GHD were studied: 17 with prior acromegaly and 38 with other causes of GHD. We compared two 6-month, randomized, placebo-controlled studies of GH therapy in women with hypopituitarism conducted with use of the same design-one in women with a history of acromegaly and one in women with no prior acromegaly. QoL was assessed with the following questionnaires: the QoL-Assessment of Growth Hormone Deficiency in Adults (AGHDA), the Symptom Questionnaire, and the 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 2 groups had comparable mean pretreatment age, body mass index, and QoL scores and comparable mean GH dose at 6 months (0.61 ± 0.30 versus 0.67 ± 0.27 mg daily). After 6 months of GH replacement therapy, women with GHD and prior acromegaly demonstrated a greater improvement in AGHDA score, four SF-36 sub-scales (Role Limitations due to Physical Health, Energy or Fatigue, Emotional Well-Being, and Social Functioning), and the Somatic Symptoms subscale of the Symptom Questionnaire than did women with GHD of other causes. Poorer pretreatment QoL was associated with a greater improvement in QoL after administration of GH.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this study, GH replacement therapy improved QoL in women with GHD and a history of acromegaly but not in women with GHD due to other hypothalamic and pituitary disorders. Further studies are needed to determine the long-term risks versus benefits of GH replacement in patients who develop GHD after definitive treatment for acromegaly.
authors.affiliation: Neuroendocrine Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, USA.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Valassi
authors.forename: Danielle J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Brick
authors.forename: Jessica C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Beverly M K
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Biller
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Klibanski
authors.forename: Karen K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Miller
mesh_terms: D000172:Acromegaly / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D020249:Hormone Replacement Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007027:Hypothalamic Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D008404:Massachusetts; D008875:Middle Aged; D010900:Pituitary Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011788:Quality of Life; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012074:Remission Induction; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D019382:Human Growth Hormone