Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Update on quality of life in patients with acromegaly

  • Published:
Pituitary Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In recent years, health-related quality of life (QoL) has been considered an important outcome for clinical management of acromegaly. Poor QoL has been described in acromegalic patients with active disease as well as after endocrine cure. It is known that acromegaly determines many physical problems and psychological dysfunctions that unavoidably impact on patients’ QoL. Moreover, there is evidence that factors, such as radiotherapy or post-treatment GH deficiency also impair QoL in patients diagnosed with acromegaly. Thus, including the assessment of QoL in daily clinical practice has become fundamental to understand the consequences of acromegaly and the impact on the patients’ daily life.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Webb SM, Badia X (2016) Quality of life in acromegaly. Neuroendocrinology 103:106–111

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Tiemensma J, Kaptein AA, Pereira AM, Smit JW, Romijn JA, Biermasz NR (2011) Affected illness perceptions and the association with impaired quality of life in patients with long-term remission of acromegaly. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 96:3550–3558

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Hunt SM, McKenna SP, McEwen J, Williams J, Papp E (1981) The Nottingham Health profile: subjective health status and medical consultations. Soc Sci Med 15A:221–229

    Google Scholar 

  4. Gray LC, Goldsmith HF, Livieratos BB (1983) Individual and contextual social-status contributions to psychological well-being. Soc Soc Res 68:78–95

    Google Scholar 

  5. Dolan P (1997) Modelling valuations for EuroQol health states. Med Care 35:1095–1108

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Badia X, Herdman M, Schiaffino A (1999) A determining correspondence between scores on the EQ-5D “thermometer” and a 5-point categorical rating scale. Med Care 37:671–677

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Brooks R (1996) EuroQol: the current state of play. Health Policy 37:53–57

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Ware JE, Snow KK, Kosinski M (1993) SF-36 Health Survey. The Health Institute, New England Medical Center, Manual and Interpretation Guide. Boston

    Google Scholar 

  9. Webb SM, Badia X, Surinach NL (2006) Spanish AcroQoL Study Group: validity and clinical applicability of the acromegaly quality of life questionnaire, AcroQoL: a 6-month prospective study. Eur J Endocrinol 155:269–277

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Andela CD, Scharloo M, Pereira AM, Kaptein AA, Biermasz NR (2015) Quality of life (QoL) impairments in patients with a pituitary adenoma: a systematic review of QoL studies. Pituitary 18:752–776

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Biermasz NK, Van Thiel SW, Pereira AM, Hoftijzer HC, van Hemert AM, Smit JWA, Romijn JA, Roelfsema F (2004) Decreased quality of life in patients with acromegaly despite long-term cure of growth hormone excess. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 89:5369–5376

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Biermasz NK, Pereira AM, Smit JWA, Romijn JA, Roelfsema F (2005) Morbidity after long-term remission for acromegaly: persisting joint-related complaints cause reduced quality of life. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 90:2731–2739

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Matta MP, Couture E, Cazals L, Vezzosi D, Bennet A, Caron P (2008) Impaired quality of life of patients with acromegaly: control of GH/IGF-I excess improves psychological subscale appearance. Eur J Endocrinol 158:305–310

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Neggers SJ, van Aken MO, de Herder WW, Feelders RA, Janssen JA, Badia X, Webb SM, van der Lely AJ (2008) Quality of life in acromegalic patients during long-term somatostatin analog treatment with and without pegvisomant. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 93:3853–3859

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Postma MR, Netea-Maiter RT, Van den Berg G, Homan J, Sluiter WJ, Wagenmakers MA, van den Bergh AC, Wolffenbuttel BH, Hermus AR, van Beek AP (2012) Quality of life is impaired in association with the need for prolonged postoperative therapy by somatostatin analogs in patients with acromegaly. Eur J Endocrinol 166:585–592

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Van der Klaauw AA, Biermasz NR, Hoftijzer HC, Pereira AM, Romijn JA (2008) Previous radiotherapy negatively influences quality of life during 4 years of follow-up in patients cured from acromegaly. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf) 69:123–128

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Van der Klaauw AA, Kars M, Biermasz NR, Roelfsema F, Dekkers OM, Crossmit EP, van Aken MO, Havekes B, Pereira AM, Pijl H, Smit WH, Romijn JA (2008) Disease-specific impairments in quality of life during long-term follow-up of patients with different pituitary adenomas. Clin Endocrinol 69:775–784

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Kauppinen-Mäkelin R, Sane T, Sintonen H, Markkanen H, Välimäki MJ, Löyttyniemi E, Niskanen L, Reunanen A, Stenman UH (2006) Quality of life in treated patients with acromegaly. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 91:3891–3896

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Wexler T, Gunnell L, Omer Z, Kuhlthau K, Beauregard C, Graham G, Utz AL, Biller B, Nachtigall L, Loeffler J, Swearingen B, Klibanski A, Miller KK (2009) Growth hormone deficiency is associated with decreased quality of life in patients with prior acromegaly. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 94:2471–2477

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  20. Johnson MD, Woodburn CJ, Vance ML (2003) Quality of life in patients with a pituitary adenoma. Pituitary 6:81–87

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Rowles SV, Prieto L, Badia X, Shalet SM, Webb SM, Trainer PJ (2005) Quality of life (QoL) in patients with acromegaly is severely impaired: use of a novel measure of QoL: acromegaly quality of life questionnaire. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 90:3337–3341

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Wassenaar MJ, Biermasz NR, Kloppenburg M, van der Klaauw AA, Tiemensma J, Smit JW, Pereira AM, Roelfsema F, Kroon HM, Romijn JA (2010) Clinical osteoarthritis predicts physical and psychological QoL in acromegaly patients. Growth Horm IGF Res 20:226–233

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Miller A, Doll H, David J, Wass J (2008) Impact of musculoskeletal disease on quality of life in long-standing acromegaly. Eur J Endocrinol 158:587–593

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Mangupli R, Camperos P, Webb SM (2014) Biochemical and quality of life responses to octreotide-LAR in acromegaly. Pituitary 17:495–499

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Dimopoulou C, Athanasoulia AP, Hanisch E, Held S, Sprenger T, Toelle TR, Roemmler-Zehrer J, Schopohl J, Stalla GK, Sievers C (2014) Clinical characteristics of pain in patients with pituitary adenomas. Eur J Endocrinol 171:581–591

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Siegel S, Streetz-van der Werf C, Schott JS, Nolte K, Karges W, Kreitschmann-Andermahr I (2013) Diagnostic delay is associated with psychosocial impairments in acromegaly. Pituitary 16:507–514

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Roerink SH, Wagenmakers MA, Wessels JF, Sterenborg RB, Smit JW, Hermus AR, Netea-Maier RT (2014) Persistent self-consciousness about facial appearance, measured with the Derriford appearance scale 59, in patients after long-term biochemical remission of acromegaly. Pituitary 18:366–375

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Geraedts VJ, Dimopoulou C, Auer M, Schopohl J, Stalla GK, Sievers C (2015) Health outcomes in acromegaly: depression and anxiety are promising targets for improving reduced quality of life. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 5:229

    Google Scholar 

  29. Tiemensma J, Kaptein AA, Pereira AM, Smit JW, Romijn JA, Biermasz NR (2011) Coping strategies in patients after treatment for functioning or nonfunctioning pituitary adenomas. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 96:964–971

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Sievers C, Ising M, Pfister H, Dimopoulou C, Schneider HJ, Roemmler J, Schopohl J, Stalla GK (2009) Personality in patients with pituitary adenomas is characterized by increased anxiety related traits: comparison of 70 acromegalic patients to patients with non-functioning pituitary adenomas and age and gender matched controls. Eur J Endocrinol 160:367–373

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Crespo I, Santos A, Valassi E, Pires P, Webb SM, Resmini E (2015) Impaired decision making and delayed memory are related with anxiety and depressive symptoms in acromegaly. Endocrine 50:756–763

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Yedinak CG, Fleseriu M (2014) Self-perception of cognitive function among patients with active acromegaly, controlled acromegaly, and non-functional pituitary adenoma: a pilot study. Endocrine 46:585–593

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Susan M. Webb.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Crespo, I., Valassi, E. & Webb, S.M. Update on quality of life in patients with acromegaly. Pituitary 20, 185–188 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11102-016-0761-y

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11102-016-0761-y

Keywords

Navigation