title: Growth hormone deficiency in treated acromegaly.
abstract: Growth hormone deficiency (GHD) of the adult is characterized by reduced quality of life (QoL) and physical fitness, skeletal fragility, and increased weight and cardiovascular risk. Hypopituitarism may develop in patients after definitive treatment of acromegaly, but an exact prevalence of GHD in this population is still uncertain owing to limited awareness and the scarce and conflicting data available on this topic. Because acromegaly and GHD may yield adverse consequences on similar target systems, the final outcomes of some complications of acromegaly may be further affected by the occurrence of GHD. However, it is still largely unknown whether patients with post-acromegaly GHD may benefit from GH replacement. We review the diagnostic, clinical, and therapeutic aspects of GHD in adult patients treated for acromegaly.
authors.affiliation: Endocrinology, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy.
authors.forename: Gherardo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mazziotti
authors.affiliation: Endocrinology, Department of Translational Medicine, Università del Piemonte Orientale 'A. Avogadro', Novara, Italy; Division of General Medicine, Ospedale S. Giuseppe, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Verbania, Italy.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Marzullo
authors.affiliation: Endocrinology, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy.
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Doga
authors.affiliation: Endocrinology, Department of Translational Medicine, Università del Piemonte Orientale 'A. Avogadro', Novara, Italy.
authors.forename: Gianluca
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Aimaretti
authors.affiliation: Endocrinology, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy. Electronic address: a.giustina@libero.it.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giustina
mesh_terms: D000172:Acromegaly / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D000328:Adult; D020249:Hormone Replacement Therapy; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007018:Hypopituitarism / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D009493:Neurosurgery; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D019382:Human Growth Hormone
keywords: IGF-1; acromegaly; growth hormone deficiency; mortality; neurosurgery; radiotherapy