title: Characteristics and outcomes of Italian patients from the observational, multicentre, hypopituitary control and complications study (HypoCCS) according to tertiles of growth hormone peak concentration following stimulation testing at study entry.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether characteristics and outcomes of Italian patients in the observational global Hypopituitary Control and Complication Study (HypoCCS) differed according to the degree of GH deficiency (GHD).
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients were grouped by tertiles of stimulated GH peak concentration at baseline (Group A lowest tertile, n = 342; Group B middle tertile, n = 345; Group C highest tertile, n = 338).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Baseline demographics, lipid levels, body mass index categories and mean Framingham cardiovascular risk indexes were similar in the three groups and remained substantially unchanged over time, with no subsequent significant between-group differences (except mean levels of triglycerides increased in the highest tertile group). GHD was adult-onset for >75% of patients in all groups. The percentage of patients with multiple pituitary deficiencies was higher in Group A than in the other groups; isolated GHD was reported with highest frequency in Group C. Patients in Group A received the lowest mean starting dose of GH. Hyperlipidaemia at baseline was reported in 35·1%, 31·1% and 24·7% of patients in groups A, B and C, respectively (P = 0·029). Mean duration of GH treatment was 7·21, 5·45 and 4·96 years, respectively. The proportion of patients with adverse events did not differ significantly between groups, with a low prevalence over time of diabetes and cancer.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In Italian patients from HypoCCS, the level of GH deficit did not influence changes over time in metabolic parameters or adverse event profile, despite differences in GHD severity at baseline and in the starting GH dose.
authors.affiliation: IRCCS San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Losa
authors.affiliation: Fondazione IRCCS Cà Granda Policlinico, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Beck-Peccoz
authors.affiliation: University of Eastern Piedmont, Novara, Italy.
authors.forename: Gianluca
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Aimaretti
authors.affiliation: IRCCS SDN, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Carolina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Di Somma
authors.affiliation: University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Rosaria
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Ambrosio
authors.affiliation: University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Diego
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ferone
authors.affiliation: Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giampietro
authors.affiliation: Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Salvatore M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Corsello
authors.affiliation: S. Andrea Hospital, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Poggi
authors.affiliation: DIMED, University of Padua, Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Scaroni
authors.affiliation: Global Statistical Sciences, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
authors.forename: Nan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jia
authors.affiliation: Eli Lilly, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Gilberto
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mossetto
authors.affiliation: University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cannavò
authors.affiliation: University of Modena, Modena, Italy.
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Rochira
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D004393:Dwarfism, Pituitary / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood* / Q000172:deficiency*; D006801:Humans; D007018:Hypopituitarism / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015337:Multicenter Studies as Topic; D064887:Observational Studies as Topic; D013963:Thyroid Hormones / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D013963:Thyroid Hormones; D019382:Human Growth Hormone; D013006:Growth Hormone