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Quality of Life in Treated Patients with Acromegaly

Department of Internal Medicine (R.K.-M.), Jorvi Hospita1, FIN-02740 Espoo, Finland; Division of Endocrinology (T.S., M.J.V.), Department of Medicine, and Department of Clinical Chemistry (H.M., U.-H.S.), Helsinki University Central Hospital, FIN-00029 Helsinki, Finland; Department of Public Health (H.S.), University of Helsinki, FIN-00014 Helsinki, Finland; Department of Statistics (E.L.), University of Turku, FIN-20014 Turku, Finland; Department of Medicine (L.N.), Kuopio University Hospital, FIN-70211 Kuopio, Finland; and National Public Health Institute (A.R.), FIN-00300 Helsinki, Finland

Address all correspondence and requests for reprints to: Ritva Kauppinen-Mäkelin, Department of Internal Medicine, Jorvi Hospital, FIN-02740 Espoo, Finland. E-mail: ritva.kauppinen-makelin{at}hus.fi.

Context: It is not known to what extent quality of life of patients treated for acromegaly is dependent on levels of GH and IGF-I attained.

Objective: The objective of this study is to examine the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and its dependence on treatment outcome and modality in a nationwide survey of acromegalic patients.

Design, Setting, and Patients: All eligible patients with acromegaly, diagnosed from January 1980 through December 1999 in Finland, were invited to a follow-up study, carried out 11.4 ± 5.7 (mean ± SD) yr after initial treatment. HRQoL of the patients, measured by the generic 15D instrument, was compared with that of the general population. Factors related to HRQoL were analyzed by logistic regression.

Main Outcome Measure: HRQoL was the main outcome measure.

Results: Of 277 eligible patients, 231 (83.4%) participated in the follow-up study. Of them, 51.1% were in remission according to consensus criteria. The patients reported reduced HRQoL in comparison to the age- and gender-standardized general population (P < 0.001). HRQoL was related to nadir GH in oral glucose tolerance test (GHOGTT) in an inverted U-shaped fashion (overall P = 0.021). Patients with GHOGTT nadir values between 0.3–1.0 µg/liter had a better HRQoL than those with lower or higher values. A normal IGF-I (P = 0.038) and not having had radiotherapy (P = 0.004) were also associated with a better HRQoL.

Conclusions: HRQoL is reduced in treated patients with acromegaly. The best HRQoL may be achieved by normalization of IGF-I and by targeting the GHOGTT nadir to levels between 0.3 and 1.0 µg/liter. Radiotherapy is associated with adverse HRQoL.

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