Quality of Life in Acromegaly

Preferences for different treatment options among people living with acromegaly in the US

OBJECTIVE

Acromegaly is a rare hormonal disorder that results in enlargement of the face, hands and feet. It is associated with comorbidities, increased mortality, reduced quality of life and economic burden. Adequate treatment is critical to alleviate symptoms; however, the treatment burden is substantial. To understand how different treatment aspects might ease the burden, this study investigated preferences for treatment options among people with acromegaly in the US, using a choice experiment (CE).

METHODS

An online CE was conducted based on a similar study among the US general population. Respondents were recruited through Acromegaly Community in the US, and all eligible respondents were included. The survey assessed six treatment options that varied according to administration, frequency, storage, treatment setting, needle type and injection pain.

RESULTS

109 adults with acromegaly completed the survey between October and December 2022. On average, the population had lived with symptoms for 15 years, while the average number of years with the diagnosis was eight. Respondents preferred subcutaneous injections every fourth week and preferred them at home rather than at the hospital. Most respondents preferred subcutaneous injections right under the skin administered once every fourth week with a pen at home over oral capsules administered twice daily at home.

CONCLUSION

The results indicate that new treatment options administered as subcutaneous injections right under the skin once every fourth week at home have the potential to lower the treatment burden among people with acromegaly, emphasizing the importance of taking each person's preference into consideration when choosing treatment.

Preference of acromegaly patients for treatment attributes in Spain

OBJECTIVE

Acromegaly is a rare disease caused by increased growth hormone secretion and a subsequent increase in insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) levels. Patients display multiple comorbidities that affect their quality of life (QoL). Treatment aims to maintain good biochemical control, tumour control and reduce the risk of comorbidities; however, their impact on QoL has been overlooked until recently. We interviewed patients to explore their preferences with regard to treatment attributes.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional study based on interviews and a discrete choice experiment (DCE) in a Spanish cohort.

METHODS

Adult patients diagnosed with acromegaly ≥1 year before the start of the study and under treatment were included. Treatment attributes were collected from patient testimony during face-to-face interviews. Then, a DCE was performed to elicit patient preferences for certain treatment attributes.

RESULTS

Sixty-seven patients completed the study. QoL improvement was the most important treatment attribute (37%), followed by IGF-I control (20%), blood sugar control (17%) and tumour control (13%). Secondary attributes were pain associated with the route of administration (7%), diarrhoea (2%), administration method (2%) and storage conditions (2%). We then calculated the theoretical share of preference for existing treatments, based on the individual preference utility for each attribute and level. Pegvisomant obtained the highest share of preference overall, and the highest preference as a second-line treatment (53 and 95%, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

QoL greatly influences patient treatment preference. Since acromegaly patients are informed and aware of their disease, treatment choices should always be shared with patients.

Patient-reported outcomes in refractory hormone-producing pituitary adenomas: an unmet need

PURPOSE

To describe quality and outcomes of patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures (PROMs) used in patients with refractory hormone-producing pituitary adenomas, and to provide an overview of PROs in these challenging pituitary adenomas.

METHODS

Three databases were searched for studies reporting on refractory pituitary adenomas. For the purpose of this review, refractory adenomas were defined as tumors resistant to primary therapy. General risk of bias was assessed using a component approach and the quality of PROM reporting was assessed using the International Society for Quality of Life Research (ISOQOL) criteria.

RESULTS

20 studies reported on PROMs in refractory pituitary adenomas, using 14 different PROMs, of which 4 were disease specific (median general risk of bias score: 33.5% (range 6-50%) and ISOQOL score: 46% (range 29-62%)). SF-36/RAND-36 and AcroQoL were most frequently used. Health-related quality of life in refractory patients (measured by AcroQoL, SF-36/Rand-36, Tuebingen CD-25, and EQ-5D-5L) varied greatly across studies, and was not always impaired compared to patients in remission.

CONCLUSION

There is a scarcity of data on PROs in the subset of pituitary adenomas that is more difficult to treat, e.g., refractory and these patients are difficult to isolate from the total cohort. The patients' perspective on quality of life, therefore, remains largely unknown in refractory patients. Thus, PROs in refractory pituitary adenomas require adequate analysis using properly reported disease specific PROMs in large cohorts to enable appropriate interpretation for use in clinical practice.

Associations between paraclinical parameters, symptoms and quality of life in patients with acromegaly: a cross sectional study

INTRODUCTION

Acromegaly is a rare chronic endocrine disorder that can lead to significant quality of life (QoL) impairment and persistent symptomatology in both biochemically uncontrolled as well as in cured or controlled patients. We aimed to conduct an observational cross-sectional study investigating the associations between biochemical disease control, associated comorbidities, and symptoms severity on QoL in a cohort of acromegalic patients.

METHODS

Thirty-one patients with acromegaly were enrolled in our study. AcroQoL and PASQ (Pain assessed acromegaly symptoms questionnaire) questionnaires were applied to all patients. Information about disease status, associated comorbidities, and other relevant clinical and paraclinical data were gathered.

RESULTS

Patients with uncontrolled acromegaly presented worse QoL and symptoms scores than controlled patients, but the difference was not statistically significant (AcroQoL 57.22 vs 64.04, p > 0.05; PASQ 12 vs 16.47, p > 0.05). Worse symptoms were significantly associated with impaired QoL (overall symptoms score on PASQ was negatively correlated with AcroQoL total score, r = - 0.61, p < 0.05). Cardiovascular complications were associated with lower QoL scores, but not with worse symptoms (AcroQoL total score in patients with- versus patients without cardiovascular complications: 54.89 vs 70.14, p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Achieving biochemical control of acromegaly might not be enough to reverse the QoL impairment and improve symptomatology in acromegalic patients. While symptoms severity and the presence of cardiovascular complications seem to play an important role in reducing patients QoL, the roles of disease control, diabetes, and pituitary insufficiency are less clear.

Evaluating the Impact of Acromegaly on Quality of Life

Acromegaly has a substantial negative impact on quality of life (QoL). This review aims to discuss the impact of acromegaly on QoL from the clinical perspective as well as from the patient perspective. Furthermore, it aims to evaluate the use of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) in acromegaly and how PROMs aid decision-making. The recommendations presented in this review are based on recent clinical evidence on the impact of acromegaly on QoL combined with the authors' own clinical experience treating patients with acromegaly. We recommend that a patient-centered approach should be considered in treatment decisions, integrating conventional biochemical outcomes, tumor control, comorbidities, treatment complications, and PROMs, including QoL measures. This more integrated approach seems effective in treating comorbidities and improving patient-reported outcomes and is critical, as many patients do not achieve biochemical or tumor control and comorbidities, impairment in QoL may not remit even when full biochemical control is achieved.

The clinical complexity of patients with acromegaly

OBJECTIVES

The main aim of the study was to investigate the factors related to the biopsychosocial complexity in the group of patients with acromegaly with different disease activity.

METHODS

A cross-sectional observational study was performed. First, a linguistic adaptation of the INTERMED - self-assessment questionnaire (IMSA) and after that the assessment of the biopsychosocial complexity among patients with acromegaly and the factors which relate to the complexity was made. The following tools were used to assess: biopsychosocial complexity: The INTERMED -self-assessment (IMSA); quality of life: The World Health Organization Quality of Life - BREF (WHOQoL) and Acromegaly Quality of Life questionnaire (AcroQol); mental state: The General Health Questionnaire - 28 (GHQ-28).

RESULTS

The final analysis included 71 patients. According to the principal component analysis the mental state (GHQ-28) and the quality of life (AcroQol) are the most important factors related to the clinical complexity among patients with acromegaly. In the model created by a stepwise regression analysis for the total IMSA score higher growth hormone (GH) concentration, longer illness duration, and better general quality of life were included as the protective factors of the clinical complexity. By contrast, a high score in the severe depression subscale of GHQ-28 was a factor of higher clinical complexity.

CONCLUSION

The mental state and quality of life are the most important determinants of the clinical complexity in the group of patients with acromegaly whereas the biochemical normalization is of lesser importance.

Patient-reported outcomes in patients with acromegaly treated with pegvisomant in the ACROSTUDY extension: A real-world experience

PURPOSE

To report the effects of pegvisomant (PEGV) treatment on patient-reported outcomes in acromegaly patients.

METHODS

We conducted an extension study of an open-label, multinational, non-interventional study (ACROSTUDY) evaluating the long-term safety and efficacy of PEGV for acromegaly in routine clinical practice. Enrolled patients were rollover patients from ACROSTUDY, or treatment naïve/semi-naïve (NSN; no PEGV within 6 months of enrollment). Exploratory efficacy endpoints were changes in symptoms with the Patient-Assessed Acromegaly Symptom Questionnaire (PASQ) and quality of life with the Acromegaly Quality of Life questionnaire (AcroQoL) analyzed by controlled or uncontrolled IGF-I levels. Results were analyzed in all patients, in NSN patient subgroup, and by diabetes status.

RESULTS

A total of 544 patients with acromegaly were enrolled, including 434 rollover subjects from ACROSTUDY and 110 NSN patients. Mean PEGV treatment duration was 7.8 years (range, 0-19.6 years). Overall, the majority of PASQ scores improved over time, but there was no significant difference between IGF-I controlled or uncontrolled groups. In the NSN subgroup, most PASQ and AcroQoL scores remained similar to baseline up to 1 year, regardless of IGF-I control. Patients with diabetes reported better PASQ scores over time with PEGV treatment, regardless of IGF-I control. IGF-I normalization increased from 10% of patients at baseline to more than 78% at year 10, with a mean daily PEGV dose of 18.7 mg.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, patients treated with PEGV had small improvements in PASQ. While IGF-I normalization increased with PEGV treatment, IGF-I control had no effects on PASQ and AcroQoL scores.

Effects of combined aerobic-strength training and yoga on quality of life and related parameters in women with pituitary adenoma after surgery: a randomized crossover study

OBJECTIVE

The pituitary gland is responsible for hormonal balance in the body, and disruption of hormonal balance in patients with pituitary adenoma (PA) indirectly affects the quality of life. This study aimed to examine the effects of yoga and combined aerobic and strength training (A+ST) on quality of life and related parameters such as sleep, fatigue, emotional state, sexual function, and cognitive status in women with PA.

DESIGN

Ten women with PA were included in this randomized crossover study. Group 1 (n = 5, mean age: 52 ± 13.5 years) received A+ST for the first 6 weeks, a 2-week washout period, and yoga for the second 6 weeks. Group 2 (n = 5, mean age: 41.8 ± 14 years) received the yoga program first, followed by the A+ST program.

METHODS

Participants were assessed using the following tools before and after each exercise intervention: Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Brain (FACT-Br) (quality of life), Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index, Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale (MOCA).

RESULTS

FACT-Br scores were higher after the yoga program, HADS anxiety score was lower after the A+ST program, and MOCA scores increased after both exercise programs (P < 0.05). FSS score decreased after both exercise programs, but not significantly. In addition, nonsignificant decreases in HADS anxiety and depression scores and increased FSFI scores were observed after the yoga program.

CONCLUSION

A+ST and yoga have positive effects on the quality of life in PA. We recommend yoga and A+ST as a supportive therapy for this population that may face comorbidities after surgical and medical treatment. Our results indicate these patients may benefit from physiotherapist-guided exercise programs.

Acromegaly disease activity according to ACRODAT®, a cross-sectional study in Spain: ACROVAL study

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate disease activity status using the Acromegaly Disease Activity Tool (ACRODAT^®) in a cohort of Spanish acromegaly patients, to assess the relationship between the level of disease activity according to both ACRODAT^® and the physicians' clinical evaluation, and to study the potential discrepancies in the perception of symptoms between physicians and patients.

DESIGN

Multicenter, observational, descriptive and cross-sectional study.

METHODS

Disease activity was assessed in adult patients with acromegaly under pharmacological treatment during at least 6 months using ACRODAT^®.

RESULTS

According to ACRODAT^®, 48.2%, 31.8% and 20.0% of a total of 111 patients were classified as having a stable disease (S), mild disease activity (M-DA) and significant disease activity (S-DA) respectively. ACRODAT^® classification of disease activity significantly correlated with physicians' opinion, with a moderate inter-rater agreement and a specificity of 92.45% (PPV = 86.21%). No correlation was found between IGF-I levels and severity of symptoms or quality of life (QoL). A decision to take clinical action was significantly more frequent in S-DA and M-DA patients than S patients but no action was taken on 5 (22.7%) and 27 (77.1%) S-DA and M-DA patients, respectively CONCLUSIONS: ACRODAT^® detected disease activity in 51.8% of patients. Interestingly, although M-DA and S-DA patients were likely to be in the process of being controlled, action was not always taken on these patients. ACRODAT^® is a validated and highly specific tool that may be useful to routinely monitor acromegaly and to identify patients with non-obvious disease activity by incorporating "patient-centred" parameters like symptoms and QoL to the clinical evaluation of acromegaly.

Mapping of the acromegaly quality of life questionnaire to ED-5D-5L index score among patients with acromegaly

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to develop a mapping function that links the acromegaly quality of life (AcroQoL) questionnaire to EQ-5D-5L to obtain a preference-based utility value to inform economic evaluation.

METHODS

A nationwide cross-sectional questionnaire survey among patients with acromegaly was conducted online in China during 17 December 2019 to 6 January 2020. The study sample was randomly divided into a training set and a validation set. Ordinary least squares (OLS), Tobit, beta-based mixture, and adjusted limited dependent variable mixture models were tested for development of the function in the training set. Total and subscale scores and individual items of AcroQoL were included as predictors in the models along with their squared terms and demographic and clinical characteristics, and selected by backward stepwise selection. The root mean square error, mean absolute error, Akaike's information criterion, Bayesian information criterion and adjusted R-square were used to assess goodness of fit and predictive ability of the models.

RESULTS

There were 424 adult patients with acromegaly eligible for this analysis. Average EQ-5D-5L index score and AcroQoL score for them was 0.82 (SD = 0.15) and 44.3 (SD = 22.9), respectively. A total of 60 candidate models were tested. Considering model simplicity and predictive ability in both training and validation set, the best model was the OLS model using scores of physical dimension and its square term as predictors.

CONCLUSION

A validated mapping function was developed in this study for estimating EQ-5D scores using AcroQoL outcomes. Its external validity can be further tested in other population with Acromegaly.

The Glittre Activities of Daily Living Test in patients with acromegaly: Associations with hand function and health-related quality of life

BACKGROUND

Musculoskeletal disorders in acromegaly compromise upper and lower limb activity. Corresponding changes can be better assessed by a functional capacity test incorporating multitasking, such as the Glittre Activities of Daily Living Test (GA-T).

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate functional capacity in adults with acromegaly using the GA-T and to correlate functional capacity with hand function and health-related quality of life.

METHODS

The GA-T was applied to 36 patients with acromegaly and an equal number of healthy individuals. Additionally, participants completed the Acromegaly Quality of Life (AcroQoL) questionnaire and underwent a chronic pain assessment using a map of the human body, a hand function evaluation using the Cochin Hand Functional Scale (CHFS), and a handgrip strength test.

RESULTS

Relative to the comparison group, patients with acromegaly required more time to perform the GA-T, showed worse hand function, and reported that squatting to accomplish shelving tasks was the major difficulty. GA-T time was correlated with the AcroQoL global score, handgrip strength, and the CHFS (rs=-0.487, p= 0.002; rs=-0.369, p= 0.026; rs= 0.538, p= 0.0007, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with acromegaly exhibited a reduced functional capacity as assessed by the GA-T. Additionally, an association was identified between the total GA-T time and both hand function and quality of life.

Discordant GH and IGF-1 Results in Treated Acromegaly: Impact of GH Cutoffs and Mean Values Assessment

CONTEXT

Discordant growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) values are frequent in acromegaly.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the impact of different GH cutoffs on discordance rate. To investigate whether the mean of consecutive GH measurements impacts discordance rate when matched to the last available IGF-1 value.

DESIGN

Retrospective study.

SETTING

Referral center for pituitary diseases.

PATIENTS

Ninety acromegaly patients with at least 3 consecutive evaluations for GH and IGF-1 using the same assay in the same laboratory (median follow-up 13 years).

INTERVENTIONS

Multimodal treatment of acromegaly.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Single fasting GH (GHf) and IGF-1 (IGF-1f). Mean of 3 GH measurements (GHm), collected during consecutive routine patients' evaluations.

RESULTS

At last evaluation GHf values were 1.99 ± 2.79 µg/L and age-adjusted IGF-1f was 0.86 ± 0.44 × upper limit of normality (mean ± SD). The discordance rate using GHf was 52.2% (cutoff 1 µg/L) and 35.6% (cutoff 2.5 µg/L) (P = 0.025). "High GH" discordance was more common for GHf <1.0 µg/L, while "high IGF-1" was predominant for GHf <2.5 µg/L (P < 0.0001). Using GHm mitigated the impact of GH cutoffs on discordance (GHm <1.0 µg/L: 43.3%; GHm <2.5 µg/L: 38.9%; P = 0.265). At receiver-operator characteristic curve (ROC) analysis, both GHf and GHm were poor predictors of IGF-1f normalization (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.611 and AUC = 0.645, respectively). The prevalence of disease-related comorbidities did not significantly differ between controlled, discordant, and active disease patients.

DISCUSSION

GH/IGF-1 discordance strongly depends on GH cutoffs. The use of GHm lessen the impact of GH cutoffs. Measurement of fasting GH levels (both GHf and GHm) is a poor predictor of IGF-1f normalization in our cohort.

Quality of Life and its Determinants in Patients With Treated Acromegaly: A Cross-Sectional Nationwide Study in China

CONTEXT

Quality of life (QoL) continues to be impaired in acromegaly after treatment.

OBJECTIVE

We conducted the first nationwide survey assessing QoL status among Chinese patients with treated acromegaly and explored correlations with clinical parameters, treatment modalities, and outcomes.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

SETTING

Survey via Chinese Association of Patients with Acromegaly (CAPA) online platform.

PATIENTS

Treated patients from CAPA.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

QoL was assessed using acromegaly QoL questionnaire (AcroQoL), 5-level EuroQoL five-dimensional questionnaire (EQ-5D-5L), and 12-item short-form health survey questionnaire (SF-12).

RESULTS

Complete, valid questionnaires from 327 patients (mean age: 39.2 years, 61.5% females) at a mean of 10 years after treatment were included. Biochemical control was satisfied in 52.9% of these patients. The controlled patients had significantly better QoL than the uncontrolled patients in all AcroQoL dimensions, most SF-12 dimensions, and pain/discomfort and anxiety/depression dimensions of the EQ-5D-5L. Patients with either controlled or uncontrolled acromegaly had significantly worse QoL than the age- and sex-adjusted population reference in most SF-12 dimensions except for physical functioning. More acromegaly-associated symptoms and comorbidities at follow-up were independent risk factors for decreased QoL across all questionnaires. Medical treatment, especially with somatostatin analogs (SSAs), and radiotherapy were predictors of worse QoL. Female patients had lower scores of physical-related QoL than male patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study suggests that biochemical control improved but did not normalize QoL in acromegaly. Numbers of symptoms and comorbidities at follow-up, sex, radiotherapy, and medical treatment with SSAs were factors determining QoL of patients with treated acromegaly.

Effects of growth hormone receptor antagonism and somatostatin analog administration on quality of life in acromegaly

OBJECTIVE

Acromegaly is associated with impaired quality of life (QoL). We investigated the effects of biochemical control of acromegaly by growth hormone receptor antagonism vs somatostatin analog therapy on QoL.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional.

PATIENTS

116 subjects: n = 55 receiving a somatostatin analog (SSA group); n = 29 receiving pegvisomant (PEG group); n = 32 active acromegaly on no medical therapy (ACTIVE group).

MEASUREMENTS

Acromegaly QoL Questionnaire (AcroQoL), Rand 36-Item Short Form Survey (SF-36) and Gastrointestinal QoL Index (GIQLI); fasting glucose, insulin and IGF-1 levels (LC/MS, Quest Diagnostics).

RESULTS

There were no group differences in mean age, BMI or sex [(whole cohort mean ± SD) age 52 ± 14 years, BMI 30 ± 6 kg/m² , and male sex 38%]. Mean IGF-1 Z-scores were higher in ACTIVE (3.9 ± 1.0) vs SSA and PEG, which did not differ from one another (0.5 ± 0.7 and 0.5 ± 0.7, P < .0001 vs ACTIVE). Eighty-three per cent of PEG previously received somatostatin analogs, which had been discontinued due to lack of efficacy (52%) or side effects (41%). There were no differences in the four QoL primary end-points (AcroQoL Global Score, SF-36 Physical Component Summary Score, SF-36 Mental Health Summary Score and GIQLI Global Score) between SSA and PEG. Higher HbA1c, BMI and IGF-1 Z-scores were associated with poorer QoL in several domains.

CONCLUSION

Our data support a comparable QoL in patients receiving pegvisomant vs somatostatin analogs, despite the fact that the vast majority receiving pegvisomant did not respond to or were not able to tolerate somatostatin analogs.

Pereira-Lima JF, da C. Oliveira M. Health-related Quality of Life in Acromegaly Patients: Results from Generic and Disease-specific Questionnaires

INTRODUCTION

Acromegaly is associated with high morbidity, but still controversial impact on the overall quality of life (QoL).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

We evaluated QoL using a generic (SF-36) and a disease-specific questionnaire (AcroQoL) in an acromegalic cohort.

RESULTS

Sixty-nine patients answered the questionnaires and had their records reviewed. In the SF-36 questionnaire, except for the Social Aspects domain, all others revealed a reduction in scores from 9.7 to 38.9%, when compared to the non-acromegalics. The cure was positively correlated with mental health (P = 0.023) and drug control was correlated with mental health (P = 0.023) and functional capacity (P = 0.013). In the AcroQoL questionnaire, the mean scores ranged from 54.7% to 72.8%. The use of antidepressants correlated with lower scores on the total AcroQoL (P = 0.039) and physical complaints (P = 0.003). The growth hormone value at diagnosis showed an inverse correlation with the total AcroQoL score (P = 0.014), Appearance Issues subscale (P = 0.081), and Personal Relations (P = 0.002). IGF-1 values at diagnosis and at the last visit showed no statistical correlation with any of the questionnaires.

CONCLUSION

The finding of a reduction in QoL scores with both SF-36 and AcroQoL allows us to suggest this evaluation as part of the initial assessment and follow-up in acromegaly, to act globally on the individual's health condition.

Updates in rare and not-so-rare complications of acromegaly: focus on respiratory function and quality of life in acromegaly

Acromegaly is a complex disease with excessive growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) causing multisystem effects, particularly cardiovascular, respiratory, and metabolic. Psychological concerns and poor quality of life (QoL) are also major disease consequences. This review is intended for clinicians and focuses on the latest developments related to respiratory and QoL effects of long-term growth hormone excess. Along with biochemical disease control, patient treatment satisfaction and outcomes have become major treatment objectives; current knowledge and tools to evaluate and manage this aspect of the disease are described. Sleep apnea syndrome and other derangements of lung function and apparatus, from pathophysiology to treatment, and evaluation tools and determinants of QoL in patients with acromegaly are discussed.

Voice Characteristics in Patients with Acromegaly during Treatment

BACKGROUND

Active acromegaly is characterized by Growth Hormone and Insulin-like Growth Factor (IGF)-1 excess. Voice complaints are common in active acromegaly and are suggested to be caused by effects of Growth Hormone or IGF-1 on vocal cords and the surrounding soft tissues. Prospective studies on the course of voice characteristics in acromegaly patients are scarce and results are conflicting. This study investigates objective changes in voice parameters, self-reported perception of voice and laryngostroboscopic features during the first 2.5 years of acromegaly treatment.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

In this prospective study, acoustic voice analysis (and videolaryngostroboscopic examination were performed in 27 consecutive treatment-naive acromegaly patients at diagnosis (T₀), after 1 year (T₁) and after 2.5 years (T₂) of treatment. The voice handicap index (VHI-30) questionnaire was taken.

RESULTS

During acromegaly treatment, VHI scores decreased, and mucosal edema & hypertrophy diminished. No significant changes in objective voice parameters were detected. The within-subject change in serum IGF-1 levels (97.3 (40.6-208) to 22.4 (10.2-34.1) nmol/L (P < 0.001)) during follow-up correlated positively with the changes in VHI questionnaire scores (R 0.32-0.45; P = 0.002-0.03).

CONCLUSIONS

At diagnosis and during acromegaly treatment, mean VHI scores were in the normal range, although they decreased during follow-up. Mucosal edema and hypertrophy largely resolved during treatment. No significant changes in objective voice parameters were observed. Voice characteristics are in the normal range in patients with acromegaly, but may change during treatment. However, voice complaints are important to discuss, since they may influence quality of life.

Quality of Life in Patients with Acromegaly before and after Transsphenoidal Surgical Resection

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to determine the perioperative changes in the quality of life (QoL) in patients with acromegaly and to reveal the relationship between biochemical indicators and quality of life change after tumor resection.

METHODS

Patients with acromegaly were enrolled from a tertiary pituitary center. SF-36 scale and AcroQoL scale were used to determine the QoL before and after surgery. We analyzed changes in QoL using a generalized linear model for repeated measurements. We compared the changes in QoL among three groups (remission, active, and discordant group) based on postoperative growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor-1.

RESULTS

151 patients (75 males and 76 females) diagnosed with acromegaly were included. The average age was 43.9 ± 12.3 years. The median total SF-36 scale was 65.3% (IQR: 63.2%-69.2%). Overall AcroQoL score at baseline was 59.1% (IQR: 51.8%-71.8%). Nadir GH levels (coefficient -0.08, p=0.047), T3 levels (coefficient 2.8, p=0.001), and testosterone levels (coefficient -0.20, p=0.033) in males were independent predictive factors of the total SF-36 score. During the follow-up, the median overall SF-36 score increased to 66.1% at 3 months and 75.3% at 6 months (p < 0.001) after surgery. The median overall AcroQoL score increased to 74.5% at 3 months and 77.3% at 6 months (p < 0.001) after surgery. At 6-month follow-up, median scores were still less than 70% in appearance, vitality, and mental health dimensions. The QoL after surgery were similar among the three groups, although higher GH and more preoperative somatostatin analogs usage were observed in the active group.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, acromegalic patients were associated with low QoL, which could be reversed partially by surgery. The improvement was independent of the endocrine remission. Appearance, vitality, and mental health were three major aspects that warrant further attention from physicians and caregivers after surgery.

Patient-Centered Outcomes with Pituitary and Parasellar Disease

Over the last 2 decades, advances in the diagnosis and management of pituitary diseases have made it possible to attain an endocrine "cure" in a large proportion of patients. In other words, tumors can be excised or controlled with drugs, mass effects of the lesion on surrounding structures can be solved, and pituitary deficiencies can be substituted with all relevant hormones. While this is considered a satisfactory outcome for health care providers, patients often suffer from an aftermath of prior endocrine dysfunction exposure, with irreversible effects, both physically and psychologically, which have a great impact on their everyday life. Diagnostic delay, often of several years, adds a negative impact on health perception. This affects their social, professional, and family domains and determines their future life. Understanding that this may occur is important, and health care providers should offer information to prepare the patient for this difficult journey, especially in the case of acromegaly, Cushing disease, or hypopituitarism. In order to maintain a good quality of life (QoL) in the long-term, patients need to adapt to this new situation, something that may be difficult, since they often cannot continue with all the activities and rhythm they used to do. Depression is often the consequence of maladaptation to the new situation, leading to impaired QoL.

Patients' perspectives on acromegaly diagnostic delay: a qualitative study

Context Acromegaly has a substantial diagnostic delay associated with an increased risk of comorbidities and psychosocial deterioration. Qualitative methods which focus on the ways that individuals understand and relate to what they are experiencing are the best methods for exploring patients' perspectives. To the best of our knowledge, they have not been developed in the context of acromegaly. Objectives This study aimed to explore the experience of the diagnostic pathway of patients with acromegaly. Design We conducted a qualitative study, based on 20 face-to-face unstructured interviews in a third referral Endocrinology center. Participants, purposively selected until data saturation, were patients with acromegaly with diverse disease durations, types of treatment or associated comorbidities. The data were examined by thematic analysis. Results Our analysis found four themes: (i) what happened for patients before the diagnosis; (ii) what happened after; (iii) the style or type of doctor involved and (iv) patients' suggestions for limiting diagnostic delay. Our findings underlined the direct associations between diagnostic delay and the doctor-patient encounter, and the truly catastrophic experience of this disease, both before and after the diagnosis. Conclusions Diagnosis of acromegaly requires active medical involvement and awareness. Intervention of patient-experts in medical schools may help to be more aware of this disease. Endocrinologists caring for patients with acromegaly should also address the catastrophic dimension of the patient's experience and initiate the narrative to help them to put it into words for preventing harmful consequences such as social isolation and QoL impairment, but also anxiety or depression.

Correlations of clinical parameters with quality of life in patients with acromegaly: Taiwan Acromegaly Registry

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the associations between clinical parameters and quality of life (QOL) of patients with acromegaly in Taiwan and to identify the impacts of hormone control, regimens, or co-morbidities on acromegalic patients' daily life.

METHODS

From 2013 to 2015, subjects with acromegaly were recruited through five medical centers. Clinical data were recorded. The QOL of enrolled patients were assessed by using Acromegaly Quality of Life Questionnaire (AcroQoL).

RESULTS

This study enrolled 272 acromegalic subjects (117 males, 155 females). Remission, defined by normalization of IGF-1, had significant positive association with QOL scores in psychological/appearance (PSY/APP) dimension (β = 6.760, p = 0.023). Somatostatin analogues therapy had negative associations with total score and score in psychological (PSY) dimension (β = -4.720, p = 0.046 and β = -5.388, p = 0.035, respectively). Diabetes mellitus had negative associations with score in PSY dimension and psychological/personal relations (PSY/PER) dimensions (β = -5.839, p = 0.034 and β = -7.516, p = 0.013, respectively). Cerebral vascular accident (CVA) had significant negative associations with total score and scores in physical (PHY), PSY, and PSY/PER dimensions (β = -26.632, p = 0.013; β = -28.353, p = 0.024; β = -25.648, p = 0.026; and β = -34.586, p = 0.006, respectively). All these associations remained significant even after adjusted with sex and age.

CONCLUSION

Our analysis suggested that not only hormone control but also therapeutic regimens and presence of co-morbidities might affect QOL of patients with acromegaly in some dimensions.

Systemic Complications of Acromegaly and the Impact of the Current Treatment Landscape: An Update

Acromegaly is a chronic systemic disease with many complications and is associated with increased mortality when not adequately treated. Substantial advances in acromegaly treatment, as well as in the treatment of many of its complications, mainly diabetes mellitus, heart failure, and arterial hypertension, were achieved in the last decades. These developments allowed change in both prevalence and severity of some acromegaly complications and furthermore resulted in a reduction of mortality. Currently, mortality seems to be similar to the general population in adequately treated patients with acromegaly. In this review, we update the knowledge in complications of acromegaly and detail the effects of different acromegaly treatment options on these complications. Incidence of mortality, its correlation with GH (cumulative exposure vs last value), and IGF-I levels and the shift in the main cause of mortality in patients with acromegaly are also addressed.

Importance of Illness Acceptance Among Other Factors Affecting Quality of Life in Acromegaly

Introduction: The aim of this study was to analyze psychological factors of patients with acromegaly and assessment of their relationship with the quality of life (QoL) in the context of the control of the disease. Materials and methods: A total sample of 50 patients (62% of females; mean age = 51.66 ± 14.5) with acromegaly underwent a comparative, cross-sectional cohort assessment including the QoL (AcroQoL, WHOQoL-BREF), psychiatric morbidity (GHQ-28), the acceptance of illness (AIS) as well as influence of treatment, comorbidities and symptoms in the relation of disease activity. Acromegaly group was divided in two subgroups: patients with uncontrolled acromegaly (UA, n = 28) and patients with controlled acromegaly (CA, n = 22). Results: The acromegaly groups did not differ in health-related QoL measured with AcroQoL and WHOQoL questionnaires. However, obtained results showed QoL impairments in all subscales and the study participants had decreased scores compared to reference values. The interaction of the relationship between the AIS and disease activity as well as the prevalence of all psychopathological symptoms and disease activity were tested and the statistically significantly differences in the context of QoL in AcroQoL questionnaires and its domains were observed in relation to the course of the disease. No difference in acromegaly symptoms as well as in number of comorbidities were found between CA and UA but these two parameters affected the results QoL scores in AcroQol questionnaires and their domains, regardless the disease activity. Similarly, the prevalence of psychopathological symptoms (GHQ-28) contributed the level of acceptance of the disease, regardless the disease activity. The strongest predictors of QoL were related to the level of illness acceptance (p = 0.01) as well as serum growth hormone concentration. Conclusion: Minding people with UA, the control of biochemical factors seemed to be more important for the QoL perception, while among CA, psychological variables such as AIS are observed to play a fundamental role in QoL. Moreover, inclusion of patient's acceptance of the illness into clinical routine would promote holistic, patient-centered care and empower doctor-patient partnership where patients' expectations and perceptions are constantly tracked. Obtaining biochemical control should not be considered as the only measure of treatment success.

Dynamic changes in the distribution of facial and abdominal adipose tissue correlated with surgical treatment in acromegaly

PURPOSE

Acromegaly is a systemic metabolic disease. Growth hormone (GH) have a significant impact on adipose tissue (AT). A huge reduction of serum GH after surgical treatment may cause substantial AT redistribution. The objective of this study was to illustrate the dynamic changes in distribution of facial and abdominal AT correlated with surgical treatment in patients with acromegaly.

METHODS

Abdominal AT in 17 acromegaly patients (group 1) was studied longitudinally preoperatively and 1 month to 1 year postoperatively. The facial and abdominal subcutaneous AT (fSAT and aSAT) of another 17 acromegaly patients (group 2) were compared with 7 nonfunctional pituitary adenoma (NFPA) controls. The areas of fSAT, aSAT, and visceral adipose tissue (VAT) were obtained by MRI and quantified by image analysis software, and intrahepatic lipid (IHL) was assessed by 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS).

RESULTS

Abdominal adipose tissue (aSAT, VAT, and IHL) increased overall after surgical treatment. However, IHL first decreased and then continuously increased during the follow-up. Compared with the increased amount of aSAT, the fSAT amount decreased after surgical treatment. The inconsistency of this phenomenon did not appear in the NFPA control subjects.

CONCLUSION

The perioperative dynamic distribution of the facial and abdominal fat in acromegaly revealed regional differences in the intricate effect of GH on adipose tissue. Reduction of serum GH after surgical treatment of acromegaly was associated with dynamic increases of IHL, abdominal visceral, and subcutaneous fat, but a reduction of facial subcutaneous fat.

Epidemiology of acromegaly in Italy: analysis from a large longitudinal primary care database

PURPOSE

Epidemiological data are pivotal for the estimation of disease burden in populations.

AIM

Of the study was to estimate the incidence and prevalence of acromegaly in Italy along with the impact of comorbidities and hospitalization rates as compared to the general population.

METHODS

Retrospective epidemiological study (from 2000 to 2014) and case control-study. Data were extracted from the Health Search Database (HSD). HSD contains patient records from about 1000 general practitioners (GPs) throughout Italy, covering a population of more than 1 million patients. It includes information about patient demographics and medical data including clinical diagnoses and diagnostic tests.

RESULTS

At the end of the study period, 74 acromegaly patients (out of 1,066,871 people) were identified, resulting in a prevalence of 6.9 per 100,000 inhabitants [95% CI 5.4-8.5]. Prevalence was higher in females than men (p = 0.004), and showed a statistically significant trend of increase over time (p < 0.0001). Overall, incidence during the study period was 0.31 per 100,000 person-years. Hypertension and type II diabetes mellitus were the comorbidities more frequently associated with acromegaly (31.3 and 14.6%, respectively) and patients were more likely to undergo a high frequency of yearly hospitalization (≥3 accesses/year, p < 0.001) compared to sex-age matched controls.

CONCLUSIONS

This epidemiological study on acromegaly carried out using a large GP-based database, documented a disease prevalence of about 7 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. As expected, acromegaly was associated with a number of comorbidities (mainly hypertension and type II diabetes mellitus) and a high rate of patients' hospitalization.

Top 100 Most-Cited Articles on Pituitary Adenoma: A Bibliometric Analysis

BACKGROUND

Many articles have been published on pituitary adenomas. Bibliometric analyses are helpful for determining the most impactful studies within a field.

OBJECTIVE

To identify the top 100 most-cited articles on pituitary adenomas using the bibliometric analysis method.

METHODS

We searched the Thomson Reuters Web of Science on March 31, 2018. Articles were listed in descending order by the total citation (TC) number, and the most-cited articles on pituitary adenomas were identified and analyzed.

RESULTS

The most-cited articles were published between 1970 and 2014, with 1999 as the most prolific year. Growth hormone-secreting pituitary adenoma was the most commonly studied tumor subtype (43%), and in clinical studies, treatment options and follow-up were the most important research focuses (62%). The average number of TCs was 326, and the average number of annual citations (ACs) was 17. More review articles were published in the last decade, and the average number of ACs was higher for this decade than for previous decades. Twenty-one articles were recognized as citation Ccassics, with a TC number >400. Twenty-five journals published the top 100 works; Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism published the most articles (25%). The most articles (43%) were published in the United States. S. Melmed wrote the greatest number of publications (14%). Departments of medicine (32%) and endocrinology (32%) contributed to the largest number of articles.

CONCLUSIONS

This study identified the research focuses and trends regarding pituitary adenoma and provides key references for investigators in guiding future pituitary adenoma research.

Evaluation of depressive mood and cognitive functions in patients with acromegaly under somatostatin analogue therapy

AIMS

Acromegaly is caused by a pituitary adenoma that releases excess growth hormone (GH) and a concomitant increase in insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1). Acromegaly results not only in phenotypic changes, but also in neurologic complications as peripheral neuropathy and cognitive dysfunction. This study aimed to compare depressive mood and cognitive function in patients with acromegaly and in healthy controls as well as to determine the factors underlying cognitive dysfunction in the acromegalic patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This study included 42 patients with acromegaly that were receiving somatostatin analogue therapy and 44 healthy controls. Memory, attention, visuospatial function, inhibitory function, abstract thinking, verbal fluency, and depressive mood were measured in the patients and controls.

RESULTS

Patients with acromegaly had lower learning (p = 0.01), planning (p = 0.03), complex attention and inhibitory function (p = 0.04) scores than the controls. There was no significant difference in depressive mood between the patients and controls (p > 0.05). Gamma knife radiosurgery did not negatively affect cognitive function (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The present findings show that acromegaly negatively affects learning, attention, and planning.

MANAGEMENT OF ENDOCRINE DISEASE: Quality of life tools for the management of pituitary disease

BACKGROUND

In the last few years, quality of life (QoL) has become an outcome measure in patients with pituitary diseases.

OBJECTIVE

To describe the available data on QoL impairment evaluated with questionnaires in patients with pituitary diseases.

DESIGN

Critical review of the pertinent literature and pragmatic discussion of available information.

METHODS

Selection of relevant literature from PubMed and WOK, especially from the last 5 years and comprehensive analysis.

RESULTS

QoL is impaired in all pituitary diseases, mostly in acromegaly and Cushing's disease (similar to other causes of Cushing's syndrome), but also in non-functioning pituitary adenomas and prolactinomas, especially in the active phase of the disease. Nevertheless, even after endocrine 'cure', scores tend to be below normative values, indicative of residual morbidity after hormonal control. The presence of hypopituitarism worsens subjective QoL perception, which can improve after optimal substitution therapy, including recombinant human growth hormone, when indicated.

CONCLUSIONS

To improve the long-term outcome of pituitary patients, helping them to attain the best possible health, it appears desirable to include subjective aspects captured when evaluating QoL, so that the affected dimensions are identified and if relevant treated. Additionally, being aware that treatment outcome may not always mean complete normalisation of physical and mental issues related to QoL can be a first step to adaptation and conforming to this new status.

Comorbidities, treatment patterns and cost-of-illness of acromegaly in Sweden: a register-linkage population-based study

OBJECTIVE

Acromegaly is a complex endocrine disease with multiple comorbidities. Treatment to obtain biochemical remission includes surgery, medical therapy and radiation. We aimed to describe comorbidities, treatment patterns and cost-of-illness in patients with acromegaly in Sweden.

DESIGN

A nationwide population-based study.

METHODS

Patients with acromegaly were identified and followed in national registers in Sweden. Longitudinal treatment patterns were assessed in patients diagnosed between July 2005 and December 2013. The cost-of-illness during 2013 was estimated from a societal perspective among patients diagnosed between 1987 and 2013.

RESULTS

Among 358 patients with acromegaly (48% men, mean age at diagnosis 50.0 (s.d. 15.3) years) at least one comorbidity was reported in 81% (n = 290). The most common comorbidities were hypertension (40%, n = 142), neoplasms outside the pituitary (30%, n = 109), hypopituitarism (22%, n = 80) and diabetes mellitus (17%, n = 61). Acromegaly treatment was initiated on average 3.7 (s.d. 6.9) months after diagnosis. Among the 301 treated patients, the most common first-line treatments were surgery (60%, n = 180), somatostatin analogues (21%, n = 64) and dopamine agonists (14%, n = 41). After primary surgery, 24% (n = 44) received somatostatin analogues. The annual per-patient cost was €12 000; this was €8700 and €16 000 if diagnosed before or after July 2005, respectively. The cost-of-illness for acromegaly and its comorbidities was 77% from direct costs and 23% from production loss.

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of comorbidity is high in patients with acromegaly. The most common first-line treatment in acromegalic patients was surgery followed by somatostatin analogues. The annual per-patient cost of acromegaly and its comorbidities was €12 000.

Update on quality of life in patients with acromegaly

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.

PREDICTORS OF QUALITY OF LIFE IN 165 PATIENTS WITH ACROMEGALY: RESULTS FROM A SINGLE-CENTER STUDY

OBJECTIVE

Even if treated, acromegaly has a considerable impact on patient quality of life (QoL); despite this, the exact clinical determinants of QoL in acromegaly are unknown. This study retrospectively examines a cohort of treated patients with acromegaly, with the aim of identifying these determinants.

METHODS

Retrospective survey analysis, with 165 patients included in the study. All patients completed a survey, which included demographic data and the clinical details of their disease, the Short Form-36 Health Survey (SF-36), the revised Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II), and the Bern Embitterment Inventory (BEI). Stepwise regression was used to identify predictors of QoL.

RESULTS

The strongest predictors of the physical component score of the SF-36 were (in order of declining strength of association): Delay between first presentation of the disease and diagnosis, body mass index (BMI), number of doctors visited before the diagnosis of acromegaly, and age at diagnosis. For the mental component score, the strongest predictors were: number of doctors visited, previous radiotherapy, and age at study entry; and, for the BDI-II score: number of doctors visited, previous radiotherapy, age at study entry, and employment status at the time of diagnosis. The following were predictors of the BEI score: number of doctors visited, and age at study entry.

CONCLUSION

Diagnostic delay and lack of diagnostic acumen in medical care provision are strong predictors of poor QoL in patients with acromegaly. Other identified parameters are radiotherapy, age, BMI, and employment status. An efficient acromegaly service should address these aspects when devising disease management plans.

ABBREVIATIONS

BDI-II = Beck Depression Inventory II BEI = Bern Embitterment Inventory BMI = body mass index IGF-1 = insulin-like growth factor 1 MCS = mental component summary (score) PCS = physical component summary (score) QoL = quality of life SDS = standard deviation score SF-36 = Short Form-36 Health Survey.

Patient-reported outcomes of parenteral somatostatin analogue injections in 195 patients with acromegaly

BACKGROUND

Long-acting somatostatin analogues delivered parenterally are the most widely used medical treatment in acromegaly. This patient-reported outcomes survey was designed to assess the impact of chronic injections on subjects with acromegaly.

METHODS

The survey was conducted in nine pituitary centres in Germany, UK and The Netherlands. The questionnaire was developed by endocrinologists and covered aspects of acromegaly symptoms, injection-related manifestations, emotional and daily life impact, treatment satisfaction and unmet medical needs.

RESULTS

In total, 195 patients participated, of which 112 (57%) were on octreotide (Sandostatin LAR) and 83 (43%) on lanreotide (Somatuline Depot). The majority (>70%) of patients reported acromegaly symptoms despite treatment. A total of 52% of patients reported that their symptoms worsen towards the end of the dosing interval. Administration site pain lasting up to a week following injection was the most frequently reported injection-related symptom (70% of patients). Other injection site reactions included nodules (38%), swelling (28%), bruising (16%), scar tissue (8%) and inflammation (7%). Injection burden was similar between octreotide and lanreotide. Only a minority of patients received injections at home (17%) and 5% were self-injecting. Over a third of patients indicated a feeling of loss of independence due to the injections, and 16% reported repeated work loss days. Despite the physical, emotional and daily life impact of injections, patients were satisfied with their treatment, yet reported that modifications that would offer major improvement over current care would be 'avoiding injections' and 'better symptom control'.

CONCLUSION

Lifelong injections of long-acting somatostatin analogues have significant burden on the functioning, well-being and daily lives of patients with acromegaly.

Pegvisomant Treatment in Acromegaly

Historically, medical treatment of acromegaly has mainly been used as an adjuvant therapy after surgery. In the last decades, an increased range of medical therapy options has been available. Somatostatin analogues have become the cornerstones of medical treatment in acromegaly and are even seen as a primary treatment in a selected group of acromegaly patients. The most recent medical treatment available for acromegaly patients is pegvisomant, a growth hormone receptor antagonist. To date, it is the most effective medical treatment, but it is costly. Pegvisomant is used as monotherapy and combined with somatostatin analogues. In this article, we review clinical studies and cohorts that have documented the efficacy of pegvisomant monotherapy and combined therapy and give a concise overview of associated side effects.

MEN1, MEN4, and Carney Complex: Pathology and Molecular Genetics

Pituitary adenomas are a common feature of a subset of endocrine neoplasia syndromes, which have otherwise highly variable disease manifestations. We provide here a review of the clinical features and human molecular genetics of multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) type 1 and 4 (MEN1 and MEN4, respectively) and Carney complex (CNC). MEN1, MEN4, and CNC are hereditary autosomal dominant syndromes that can present with pituitary adenomas. MEN1 is caused by inactivating mutations in the MEN1 gene, whose product menin is involved in multiple intracellular pathways contributing to transcriptional control and cell proliferation. MEN1 clinical features include primary hyperparathyroidism, pancreatic neuroendocrine tumours and prolactinomas as well as other pituitary adenomas. A subset of patients with pituitary adenomas and other MEN1 features have mutations in the CDKN1B gene; their disease has been called MEN4. Inactivating mutations in the type 1α regulatory subunit of protein kinase A (PKA; the PRKAR1A gene), that lead to dysregulation and activation of the PKA pathway, are the main genetic cause of CNC, which is clinically characterised by primary pigmented nodular adrenocortical disease, spotty skin pigmentation (lentigines), cardiac and other myxomas and acromegaly due to somatotropinomas or somatotrope hyperplasia.

Treatment Factors That Influence Mortality in Acromegaly

Acromegaly is a rare condition characterized by excessive secretion of growth hormone (GH), which is almost always due to a pituitary adenoma. Acromegaly is associated with significant morbidity such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes, cardiomyopathy, obstructive sleep apnoea, malignancy and musculoskeletal abnormalities. Acromegaly has also been associated with increased mortality in several retrospective studies. This review will focus on the epidemiological data relating to mortality rates in acromegaly, the relationship between acromegaly and malignancy, the role of GH and insulin-like growth factor-I in assessing the risk of future mortality, and the impact of radiotherapy and hypopituitarism on mortality.

Bone and Joint Disorders in Acromegaly

Acromegaly is a chronic, progressive disease caused by a growth hormone (GH)-producing pituitary adenoma, resulting in elevated GH and insulin-like growth factor 1 concentrations. Following appropriate therapy (surgery, radiotherapy and/or medical treatment), many systemic GH-induced comorbid conditions improve considerably. Unfortunately, despite biochemical control, acromegaly patients suffer from a high prevalence of late manifestations of transient GH excess, significantly impairing their quality of life. In this overview article, we summarize the pathophysiology, diagnosis, clinical picture, disease course and management of skeletal complications of acromegaly, focusing on vertebral fractures and arthropathy.

Glucose and Fat Metabolism in Acromegaly: From Mice Models to Patient Care

Patients with active acromegaly are frequently insulin resistant, glucose intolerant, and at risk for developing overt type 2 diabetes. At the same time, these patients have a relatively lean phenotype associated with mobilization and oxidation of free fatty acids. These features are reversed by curative surgical removal of the growth hormone (GH)-producing adenoma. Mouse models of acromegaly share many of these characteristics, including a lean phenotype and proneness to type 2 diabetes. There are, however, also species differences with respect to oxidation rates of glucose and fat as well as the specific mechanisms underlying GH-induced insulin resistance. The impact of acromegaly treatment on insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance depends on the treatment modality (e.g. somatostatin analogs also suppress insulin secretion, whereas the GH antagonist restores insulin sensitivity). The interplay between animal research and clinical studies has proven useful in the field of acromegaly and should be continued in order to understand the metabolic actions of GH.

Cardiovascular Disease and Sleep-Disordered Breathing in Acromegaly

Treatment goals in acromegaly include symptom relief, tumour control and reversal of the excess morbidity and mortality associated with the disorder. Cardiovascular complications include concentric biventricular hypertrophy and cardiomyopathy, hypertension, valvular heart disease and arrhythmias, while metabolic disturbance (insulin resistance/diabetes mellitus, dyslipidaemia) further increases the risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events. Sleep-disordered breathing (in the form of sleep apnoea) is also common in patients with acromegaly and may exacerbate cardiovascular dysfunction, in addition to contributing to impaired quality of life. Accordingly, and in keeping with evidence that cardiorespiratory complications in acromegaly are not automatically reversed/ameliorated simply through the attainment of 'safe' growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor 1 levels, recent guidelines have emphasised the need not only to achieve stringent biochemical control, but also to identify and independently treat these comorbidities. It is important, therefore, that patients with acromegaly are systematically screened at diagnosis, and periodically thereafter, for the common cardiovascular and respiratory manifestations and that biochemical targets do not become the only treatment goal.

Medical Treatment of Acromegaly with Dopamine Agonists or Somatostatin Analogs

Treatment of acromegaly aims to correct (or prevent) tumor compression of surrounding tissues by excising the disease-causing lesion and reduce growth hormone (GH) and IGF-1 levels to normal values. When surgery (the usual first-line treatment) fails to correct GH/IGF-1 hypersecretion, medical treatment with dopamine agonists (DAs; particularly cabergoline) or somatostatin analogs (SAs) can be used. The GH receptor antagonist pegvisomant is helpful in patients who are totally or partially resistant to SAs and can be given in association with both SAs and/or DAs. Thanks to this multistep therapeutic strategy, adequate hormonal disease control is achieved in most patients, giving them normal life expectancy. Comorbidities associated with acromegaly generally improve after treatment, but persistent sequelae may nonetheless impair quality of life.

The Role of Radiotherapy in Acromegaly

Radiotherapy has, historically, played a central role in the management of acromegaly, and the last 30 years have seen substantial improvements in the technology used in the delivery of radiation therapy. More recently, the introduction of highly targeted radiotherapy, or 'radiosurgery', has further increased the therapeutic options available in the management of secretory pituitary tumors. Despite these developments, improvements in primary surgical outcomes, an increase in the range and effectiveness of medical therapy options, and long-term safety concerns have combined to dictate that, although still deployed in selected cases, the use of radiotherapy in the management of acromegaly has declined steadily over the past 2 decades. In this article, we review some of the main studies that have documented the efficacy of pituitary radiotherapy on growth hormone hypersecretion and summarize the data around its potential deleterious effects, including hypopituitarism, cranial nerve damage, and the development of radiation-related intracerebral tumors. We also give practical recommendations to guide its future use in patients with acromegaly, generally, as a third-line intervention after neurosurgical intervention in combination with various medical therapy options.

Novel Techniques in the Surgical Treatment of Acromegaly: Applications and Efficacy

Since the establishment of transsphenoidal microsurgery as the operative treatment of choice in most patients with acromegaly 40 years ago, a few novel technical developments have evolved. Their application, utility and efficacy will be briefly discussed in this review article, based on an analysis of published results and the authors' personal experience. The endoscope was additionally used to search for residual tumours in locations which could not be visualised with the operating microscope. In many centres it has by now fully replaced the operating microscope. Extended endoscopic operations hardly have limits in respect to accessible pathology. Overall, the results and complications reported from microsurgical and endoscopic series are comparable. Intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging allows depicting the completeness of a tumour resection. While in many patients additional tumour resections are performed on the basis of intraoperative imaging, the improvements in hormonal remission rates reported are less impressive. Neuronavigation uses imaging data to improve the surgeon's orientation, and it is certainly a major asset to the inexperienced. In high-caseload centres it is mainly appreciated in anatomical variants and reoperations. While the Doppler probe is a valuable and easily affordable gadget to avoid vascular arterial injury, intraoperative ultrasound imaging of tumour extension has a much poorer resolution than magnetic resonance imaging and is thus not widely implemented. The clinical value of intraoperative growth hormone measurements is controversially discussed. In summary, the application of modern technology has only led to a minor improvement of results, but it has widened the spectrum of accessible pathologies and increased the safety of the procedures for the patient. It is expected that outcomes will continue to improve as novel techniques and concepts are being developed.